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Red Hill destruction
Rode red hill today and to my dismay, witnessed what appears to be a freeway being built along the main trail. I can only assume that it has finally been earmarked for development and will be a housing estate in 12 months time.
Does anybody have any more information?
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That's not good news. Perhaps they are just improving fire vehicle access? After all they did smooth out some of the fire trail last year. If it is earmarked for development, you'd have to assume that the building would be limited by the terrain and the fact that the area drains so poorly.
Edit:
http://nobmob.com/node/47388
I'm going to smash my Strava times!
Sadly though once the work is finished it will be even more accessible to the motorbikes and 4wds'.
There was a application by Cromer Golf Course a few months back to rezone & allow some residential development, but I believe that it was knocked back by Council. I was only for some land adjacent to Boromi Way & Cromer Rd, so I doubt this has anything to do with grading the main fire trail.
Its probably Rural Fire Service ensuring that they can get their trucks in & out. The area hasn't been burned for a while so it maybe due for some hazard reduction burns. There was some similar work done in the last year or so to the section of firetrail near the dam at the Sports Academy - so i'd say its part of the same programme.
You have to also remember that there are still some private blocks beyond the currently built houses on the first firetrail. I believe someone was looking to sell one last year, so maybe it finally did?
i.e. The area immediately left of the firetrail crossing a few km in is a private block that is currently looking for buyers. No water and no power would make it a difficult sell, but eventually someone may put a fence up!
If you look up "LOT 1047 Meatworks Ave, Oxford Falls NSW 2100" on Maps, you'll get an idea of the lot that was up for sale
Say it's because there is no way the fire trucks can get through, they are maintaining the fire roads from Cromer through to RedHill. There is a map at the entries.
They say they are putting rocks to try and dissuade 4WD and Motos... They said the forums will be rife with complaints!
One of the most effective ways to dissuade the 4wds is to make the tracks as smooth and boring as possible and use huge rocks to prevent access. Gates won't work as long as cretins have 12,000lb winches, motivation and a set of locked diffs! As for the motos, I think the only hope is regular police patrols.
Not sure what this strava thing oldandslow keeps mentioning, but I'm just happy this work will result in a few choice E & F lines. The old stuff was too bumpy. Progress is tops. And welcome back, Christine.
I fear for my favourite biking location.I am thankful that we have red hill to ride , but it feels so tenuous. The motos wrecking it, the 'B' lines constantly turning up, the trail fairies , I hope it doesn't turn into a glorified footpath. Leave it rough, leave it clean,and hopefully we can ride it for a lot longer as it is.
I love Red Hill
I went for a walk up there today.
There has been a great deal of work done to the main fire trail between Cromer and Lady Penrhyn Dr. Basically it's been made much easier to access via vehicle.
In terms of what it means from a riding perspective, I think most of the good stuff (singletrack) is unaffected. And in addition where the trail has been changed I think there is a great opportunity for an organised group to put some fun lines in there and possibly even make them idiot (throttle happy moto riders) proof.
I went today absolutely disgusting.
Horse hill totally gone...
And the drops that surrounded it to the left totally gone.
I really hope they don't continue much further.
There not just creating access, they are removing technical sections that surround the outer edge of the main trail.
I reckon there is a motive to basically remove moto and mtb from the area altogether
I was there again this arvo and thought it wasn't too bad. Sure the main trail has been flattened but it was in atrocious condition for RFS vehicles. The real technical stuff still remains (at least the stuff I ride).
And the grading work done last year is already looking scuffed so it won't take long for the new grading to be weathered.
OOI, which is Horse Hill? I know the trails very well but don't know the names.
Horse hill is the strava name.
It's the section after the first down hill section if you enter from lady penryn.
The first uphill climb after the quick down hill.
Was a great climb.
Was there today so much has been flattened. It's a real shame so many good drops and technical sections just completely gone. But they do need access so there isn't much anyone can do or say.
I spoke to the guys today, they have flattened pretty much everything they are going to do so at least no more than what's done already. I at least the single track won't be going anywhere.
They do this every few years or so, perhaps not to this extent though? then again.. perhaps they are just onto the CX bike craze wave thing and building us a great CX training ride?
I will check it out on the weekend.
The crazy thing is that the friends of the lagoon complain about the silting up of the creeks and backwaters of Narrabeen lakes catchment, blaming bikes, horses, walkers and moto's.. but.. just perhaps; the end result of this work up there is that all the dirt thats been disturbed/crushed to fix up these trails inevitably just ends up being washed into creeks and into Narrabeen lakes the very first tropical rainstorm we get.. yet all the while, everyone "the powers that be" seem dead against anyone organising to build sustainable bike trails to IMBA standards.. while moto's tear up the place unchecked and machines operating under the law bulldoze the next X thousands of cubic meters of silt, piled up looking like a nice road but actually just ready for the next rain storm to wash it all into the lake and return the trails to their previous rocky state in a very short time.
I guess now that we have some nice new roads up there we can look forward to those other guys in their red trucks burning it all up quick smart? and when that happens.. well then perhaps those naughty trail fairies will come out and cut some fresh new lines?
Theres already a number of spots crying out for some "shovel enhancement".
I wonder if there are any JCBs up there that we could borrow for an hour or so?
The Motos.
I've been on a mission today as they are there all the time lately.
I've spoken to the police and they say to call them with car or bike number plates.
They also suggested I email the local commander so I called for his email, spoke to a great police lady who is going to pass on my email for me.... She's local and can hear them from her house so knows they are getting worse.
The other police person I spoke to said they will look into getting police trail bikes to chase them...
I'm mainly doing this from a horse riding perspective as it's hairy up there with MTB and trail bikes, but at least if we shout at MTB they can hear us! The guys working on the trail said the Motos are awful to them as well,
if I post the email for the correct police ( when I get it) is anyone interested in also emailing from a safety perspective?
Well done Christine.
I've even heard that a local motorcycle shop has been organised group rides there lately.
Might have to get the lad up there when his broken hand heals.....
Is it legal for mountain bikes to ride on the crown land at Red Hill? There does seem to be a large variety of user groups up there with an apparent hierarchy of perceived entitlement and each of the groups putting the boot into the one below. (eg bird watches hating on people walking their dogs who in turn hate on horse riders) From my understanding MTB is only one level above Motos???. BTW I don't & never have ridden a moto.
You aren't a local Duncan since the bird watchers, dog walkers and horse riders all get on extremely well at Red Hill.
There are signs at the entrances and on the trail stating that motorbikes and vehicles are not allowed and there is a $2200 fine. If I knew how to load photos I'd put one up for you...
Righto! I emailed the police and they have called to say they will increase their presence around the entries of Red Hill that the motos use.
Please call Dee Why or Frenchs Forest Police if you see them up there... they say if you give them the numberplates of either the bikes or the cars/vans/utes they take them around in they will contact the riders and let them know they aren't supposed to be there... They were pretty quick to respond the other day.
Thanks Christine.
Iv'e seen a White unmarked cop car at the entry a couple of times now.
15- 20 years ago before the fires, there were cops on dirt bikes up at Red Hill and Oxford Falls all the time, but they were moved out west somewhere apparently.
And saw a green Hyundai Accent reversed in at the sewage works with a trailer and a dirtbike on the back.
Looked like he'd opened the gate somehow?
Maybe it isn't locked?
I would have stopped but was in a line of traffic doing 80kmh.