Build it and they will come Mountain Biking in the Central West (And beyond )
Why I ride MTB
Why I don t ride road
WHAT IS MOUNTAIN BIKING?
Mountain Biking MTB is not Motor Biking Desired Recreation Venues Singletrack, forested (not always bushland) Growth exponential Benefits economic, health MTB is a broad church XC Downhill Freeride
Cycling Participation 1.47m bikes sold in 2007 (8th year) 70% MTB s 2005 (1.03m) Cycling 4 th physical activity 1.6m participants, 2007 (9.7% of adults) UK 11.8m, 1.3 m off road Germany 7.2m cyclists, 3.5m MTBers US -4-6% ~ 14m riders
Cycling Participation Rates NSW 8.3% ACT 16.1% Vic 10.7% Qld 10.2% WA 10.7% SA 8.4% Tas 9.3% NT 14.8%
Demographics Male Tertiary Educated High income Internet savvy & connected Mid 20 s to mid 40 s, most mid 30 s Travel in groups of 2-3 Will travel half to full day from home Ride 2-3 times/week
WHAT CAN MTB OFFER?
Mountain Bike Tourism ACT Mt Stromlo, 110,000 vehicles/yr (2006) World Cup World 24 hour Whistler, BC 250,000 in 2008 (>skiing), $6.6m 7 Stanes, Scotland 400,000, $9.29m Wales 9 MTB Centres, $25m annually (2009) Rotorua, NZ 51,000/yr, $4.35m
Major NSW MTB Events Scott 24 hour (5,000) Mont 24 hour (1,000) Jet Black 12 & 24 hour (2,000) Capital Punishment 50/100 (2,000) Highland Fling 50/100 (2,000) Wagga Wagga 6 hour (500) Mountains to Beach stage race (100, 5 days) Tathra MTB Enduro (200)
Mountain Biking Tourism Victoria Forrest (200), 60kms DSE, post logging Jeep 24 hour Otway Odyssey New businesses opening South Australia Melrose (400), 75 kms Southern Flinders Ranges Cycle Tourism masterplan Over the Edge Fat Tyre Festival Mawson Marathon
MTB IN THE CENTRAL WEST
MTB in the Central West 2003 No legal venue Underground venues, can t be promoted, no racing, no funding, no visibility, no tenure Following Moto s & their trails Dangerous Unsuitable trails Oh you re a MTB er, there are two of them in town, here I ll get you there phone no s LBS, 2003 (misconception)
Underground (illegal) Trails - 2003 Wellington Mt Arthur Reserve Orange Kinross State Forest Orange Canobalos State Forest Mudgee the Common
Moto Trails being ridden (2003) Dubbo Parkes Rd Dunedoo Rd Beni State Forest (now NPWS) Parkes Renshaw/McGurr Way Back Yamma State Forest
Central West Cycle Racing - 2003 Road racing Dubbo, Mudgee, Wellington, Narromine, Orange. Track Racing Dubbo, Orange, Bathurst Tri Racing Dubbo, Mudgee, Orange, Bathurst Touring across the region MTB - X (Lithgow nearest)
2003 onwards Trail building (Geurie, Orange, Wellington, Mudgee) Planning for tenure working with Council (Geurie) and State Forest (Orange and Parkes) Approvals formalised for Geurie 2009 (WC) Approval granted for Orange 2009 (SF) Approval granted for Parkes 2010 (SF) PoM drafted approving Wellington trails 2010 MTBA sanctioned racing commences late 2009
CWORBC Central West Off Road Bicycle Club Formed 2008 Regional with branches; Orange (2008) Dubbo/Wellington (2008) Parkes (2009) Mudgee (2010) Coonabarabran (2010) 80 members
CWORBC Events Orange monthly racing Weekly social riding Geurie - bi-monthly non-summer racing Weekly Social Riding Fortnightly social night rides Parkes 1 annual event 25/50/100 km
MTB LOCALLY
Geurie Small village, 400 residents, ~120ha hilly bushland Reserve adjoining the village & 2 adjoining TSR s Youth bicycle culture 2004 disused Moto trails By 2009 17 k s of trail developed in the Reserve (with informal Council approval) 2009 Wellington Council formalised its approval through a PoM Racing commenced 2010 (Enduro XC)
Geurie Trail Network (2009)
Racing at Geurie (2010)
Outcomes - 2010 Geurie Formalised Trail Access/Tenure Council Support Community Support Increased visitation ~ 2,000 visitors/yr Newcastle, Sydney, Canberra, Griffith, Port Macquarie, Tamworth, Wollongong, Blue Mtns Food/drink, fuel Locally (Dubbo/Wellington) MTB has a profile, ~40 high end MTB s
Orange Kinross State Forest, XC loops, ~14 kilometres of trails State Forest approval granted 2009 Racing commenced late 2009 (1 hour XC) 2010, 2011 monthly 1 hour XC racing Plans for a 6 hour race
Parkes Back Yamma State Forest (20km) & Moto trails Back Yamma Bigfoot race 25/50/100 Sept 2010 300 riders (Canberra, Wagga, Central West, Brisbane) Good web site, well promoted Flat and fast and popular Sept 2011 500 riders Camping on site
FUTURE LOCAL PLANS
Future Plans for Geurie/Wellington 4 loops, ~ 40ks singletrack 50/100 km racing using these loops + rural road + village 80 km Rail Trail to Gulgong DH trails at Mt Arthur
Idealised Trail design (Geurie)
Plans for Dubbo Shared use trails (DCC) Wongarbon Dickigundi Regand Park NPWS Access Beni Forest Cyclogaine 2011 4X Future shared use singletrack development
ELSEWHERE
Other Developments Dubbo City Council Manly Council Hornsby Council Ku-Ring-Gai Council Wingecarribee Shire Council Wollongong City Council Beechworth MTB Park Coffs Harbour Hunter Valley Blue Mountains City Council
Developments NSW NPWS Mountain Bike Discussion paper Glenrock SRA, Blue Mountains, Thredbo Mt Annan Botanic Garden Enduro Trail 7km (+ 7) NSW State Forests Wingello, Kinross, Coffs Harbour, Tathra SA Mountain Bike Plan Bike SA, SA Govt - Melrose Vic DSE Forrest, You Yangs, Wombat, Lysterfield Tasmanian Mountain Bike Plan - Tasmanian Sport & Rec - Mt Wellington
Community Trail Advocacy