2023-3024
Northeast Tasmanian Council continues to favour commercial mountain bike trails over environmental and other social needs.
The local Northeast Tasmania Land Trust aims to protect, conserve and enhance the natural environment by acquiring and managing land of ecological value. This volunteer group http://www.netlandtrust.org.au/ is struggling to pay the rates on land it has acquired for conservation, yet the same Council provides funds and resources for “The Collective” that focuses on “having fun”, often at the environment’s expense. Whilst it is understood that the recreational needs of people are important, the issue here is that there is a complete imbalance between one single sport and its tourism potential and the rest of the community’s needs for ‘passive’ recreation such as walking and birdwatching in a peaceful scenic environment and the intrinsic values of the environment, such as uncleared and undisturbed forest.
Read more about ‘The Collective’:
“The Break O’Day Trails Collective (the Collective) was established in 2019 as an independent not for-profit, volunteer led, community organisation aiming to coordinate a network of Trail Ambassadors that support and contribute to the ongoing maintenance, promotion and activation of the St Helens MTB network. The Break O’ Day Trails collective’s Mission is to; “connect you to the trails”. The vision is to; “co-create with our community, a vibrant and successful mountain biking destination where all feel welcome”. The Collective’s values are: “we take action, we build community in our shared place and most of all we have fun!” Our key strategies are to; Grow and strengthen our Ambassador Program, Actively drive refurbishment, development and growth of our trail network and MTB facilities and create and promote events and activities that increase visitation to the region and trail network and create value for our ambassadors. Through the Ambassador Program the Collective is committed to investing all funds raised for the long-term benefit of the local community in general, and the ambassadors in particular. This will help to unlock the potential of the mountain bike trail network for everyone. The Collective commits to cooperating with a broad range of stakeholders across the local and the broader community, including the local Council, the local riders and the mountain bike club, local business, but also the broader riding community, bike, and tourism industry to ensure our strategic goals are met”.
2023-2024
Foreign investment in a neighbouring Council further demonstrates the dominance of mountain bike commercialisation in Northeast Tasmania’s unique natural areas.
Read more:
Tasmania, Australia, November 2023. Impacts of latest mountain bike construction on endangered Eagles. Read below:
Tasmania, Australia. October 2023. ‘Dangers of Derby’. Read more:
Tasmania, Australia, February 2023: Riders are not ‘adequately informed’ on dangers of mountain bike trails. Read more:
USA: February 2023. Environmental stewards say “no compromise on Hedgehog Mountain bike plan”. Read more:
Tasmania, Australia. January 2023. ‘Mountain biking tragedy’. Read more:
Perth, Western Australia, October 2022. Mountain Biking Fatality. Read more:
Perth Hills mountain bike death: Man found dead by bushwalker days after crash | PerthNow
USA: “We’re building rogue trails because land managers are closing trails”. Conflict in natural areas is worldwide. Read more:
USA: It is time for specialised mountain biking venues outside of natural areas; safer for riders and safeguards the environment. Read more:
Victoria, Australia: Another new mountain bike venue proposed: more social and environmental angst in Victoria, Australia. Read more:
South Australia-Mountain bike park proposal has been stopped. Government has pulled back on a plan to invest millions of dollars in a mountain bike park in the Adelaide Hills. Read more:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-06-26/mountain-bike-plan-tensions-on-melbournes-fringe/101183868
Tasmania-Another mountain biking death. Read more:
Victorian rider dies on Tasmania’s Maydena mountain-bike trail – ABC News
Queensland, Australia: When a professional and objective environmental consultancy is employed to conduct an environmental/social impact assessment prior to single-track mountain bike construction, the outcome for a sensitive ecosystem is positive. Read more:
Lawsuits are increasing and mountain bike riders are suffering devasting injuries. Read more:
USA: Mt. Hood Skibowl bans mountain bikes after losing lawsuit | KNKX Public Radio
In the News: Mountain biker sues race organizer after fallen tree causes crash – VeloNews.com
USA: There is a building awareness that mountain biking has a significant social impact that needs to be understood and addressed. See examples below:
Reader Input: Trail change should not be approved | Gold Country Media
Tasmania Australia: A Community ‘Before’ and ‘After’ the Bikes. Read more:
https://www.examiner.com.au/story/7606737/was-the-derby-community-a-victim-of-the-towns-success/
Queensland Australia-Recreation continues to take precedence over sensitive ecosystems. Read more:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-01-04/brisbane-finalises-off-road-cycling-strategy/100737592
USA-Illegal Mountain Bike trail construction is an ongoing problem worldwide:
‘Loved to death’: A clash over fragile Northern New Mexico badlands | Local News | santafenewmexican.com
Tasmania Australia-Tragic Mountain Biking Death in Tasmania, Australia November 2021:
St Helens mountain bike rider dies after crash on popular Tasmanian trail – ABC News
New South Wales Australia-Community groups clash over closure of unauthorised mountain bike track on Mount Keira, NSW. Read more:
USA-Mountain bike environmental impacts. It is a worldwide problem.
http://www.thewildlifenews.com/2019/06/18/impacts-of-mountain-biking/
Victoria Australia–Bendigo Mountain Bike Club blames Parks Victoria for likely Golden Triangle Epic cancellation
New South Wales Australia-https://savemtcanobolassca.com/the-issue/the-mountain-biking-threat/
New Zealand-Injured mountainbiker ‘thinking outside square’ in new normal life
Canada: Sep 07, 2019. Read more:
Serious injury at Valemount Bike Fest
Impacts of Mountain Biking
USA-18 June 2019 Mountain Biking is a significant threat to our wildlands—both in designated preserves like national parks, wilderness areas, and the like, but also Wilderness Study Areas (WSA) and roadless lands that may potentially be given Congressional protection under the 1964 Wilderness Act.
Illawarra Local Aboriginal Land Council ramps up opposition to mountain bike trail plan
New South Wales Australia-Dec 18, 2018 – A plan to create an 82km network of mountain bike trails on Mount Keira, … will have the least significant environmental and culture impact.”
No Mountain Bike Park for the Illawarra Escarpment SCA – make a submission;
New South Wales Australia-21 December 2018 Proposed maze of Bike Tracks at Mt Kiera – from the Bike Concept Plan Read the Colong is a champion for Nature Needs Half · Applying ‘Nature Needs Half’ in Australia … I oppose the draft Mountain Bike Strategy and associated Bike Concept Plan. The clearing on the scale proposed of rainforest and other ecologically sensitive areas.
Submission – Mt Caboola Mountain Bike Trails (docx)
New South Wales Australia-Whilst I feel that mountain biking is pursuit to be encouraged under normal … The conservation significance of Mount Canobolas SCA … that the economic value of such an enterprise to Orange has been over estimated. … that could further increase the environmental impacts and conflicts between different park users.
New South Wales Australia: Sep 27, 2018 Investigation into mountain bike paths on Mount Canobolas. Read more:
Illegal trails: Investigation into mountain bike paths on Mount Canobolas
New South Wales Australia-Sep 3, 2018 – With Derby, Meydena, Mount Buller and Falls Creek well established in the global mountain biking tourism boom, central west New South Wales is stepping up with a proposal for a 63-kilometre trail network on Orange’s Mount Canobolas. A 1672-hectare state conservation area. Read more:
Mountain bike tourism beats a path to Mount Canobolas, but boom could have conservation downsides?
Tasmania Australia-Aug 30, 2018 – Earlier this year, Hack brought you the story of Derby, in Tasmania’s … Just an hour down the road from Derby is St Helens, where triple j’s One Night Stand will kick off on Saturday. The St Helens Mountain bike trails is a two-part development; and there’s going to be significant environmental impacts. Read more:
Can you build a mountain bike trail without damaging the environment?
Tasmania Australia, 2018. Maydena tragedy. Read more:
Tasmanian Premier weighs in on mountain bike death, promising all safety standards will be met
New South Wales Australia-Sep 25, 2016 – One group of cyclists says they will not use the Mount Canobolas mountain bike trail centre if it proceeds. Read more:
Mountain bikers concerned for unique habitat.
Worldwide-Aug 18, 2016 – They are the end result of a century of conservation horse trading. The list of impacts and conflicts associated with mountain biking keeps growing. Read more:
Environmental Impacts of Mountain Biking 