Appin update for 01 Nov

From WMBC...

APPIN MOUNTAIN BIKE TRACKS

The Wollongong Mountain Bike Club was formally advised this week of the outcome of the latest Board Meeting of the Tharawal Land Council. The news was not good. The Council has informed us that they will not allow us to use their land for Mountain Biking. This follows weeks of lobbying and attempts to make presentations to the Council. In the end the outcome rested on a single letter that we were allowed to present putting forward our case.
This is a devastating result and one that will affect hundreds of people from the Mountain Biking Community.
The Land Council stated when asked for the reasoning behind their decision....

“This decision was reached with concerns as to the impact on the environment of the land and impact on the cultural heritage of the land.”

When asked whether this affected all bike riding on the land?

“It is private land, therefore, like anyone else's private property, any access without authorisation is considered trespassing.”

The Wollongong Mountain Bike Club will continue to lobby for access to the land in an attempt to persuade the Council that MTB is not only a positive healthy pursuit, but that it can be done in a sustainable and environmentally friendly fashion. The benefits of MTB in the area spread well beyond just the physical benefit to the participants, but the presence of MTB’ers in the area has also reduced the impact of motor bikes, 4 wheel drives, dumping and other less desirable pursuits that have carried on in the area prior to WMBC setting up a track there.

Unfortunately they may be mistaking us for Motor bikes or Four Wheel drives, both of which have caused significant damage in this and other areas.

We, as Mountain Bikers embrace the natural and unspoilt settings that we ride in. Our aim is to retain the environmental and cultural value of the land.

Should anyone have connections or influence with the Land Council please don’t hesitate to make contact with them to try and convince them of our motives. Any contact with the Council must be made in a civil and constructive manner in order to benefit the MTB cause. Copies of any correspondence sent to the Council should be copied to us to help our lobbying efforts.

We are now searching for a suitable site to build another track. Any suggestions here would be helpful..................