You are hereForums / General Discussion / NoBMoB Chat / How far behind the UK is Australia?
How far behind the UK is Australia?
This far:
Bannerman High in Baillieston, Scotland just opened a $65K mountain bike track for students to hone their skills on campus.
- Login to post comments
- Bookmark & share
Tags
There is money in this for the council and community! check these out!
http://www.mbwales.com/
http://www.rideastonhill.co.uk/Home.html
Ive ridden Afan, Cwm Carn, Brechfa & Brecon Beacons. There so well set up with bike shops at the bottom of some of them, cafes, bike washes & of course shower for a about 1 pound for 20mins if i recall. & the trails are amazing various fireroads to the top & sweat fast flowing single track down & across the Mts.
& you dont have to worry about riding in the rain, as well we all know it rains afair bit, as they have a few full time teams to look after them, paid for by the local council.
Deano
If your not out there doing it,
Someone else is
Unfortunately, this is something I have been aware of as well, I just don't bring it up for fear of being called an ungrateful winging pom and told to go back to where I came from (which I have no intention of doing by the way)
Lorrie, that mbwales link is the one I quoted in my recent letter to the Horsby Shire Council, and is a good guide of how things could be here in Sydney given the correct directional drive and thinking. I used to ride Aston hill in the UK and it's a great (albeit compact) venue that attracts lots of riders paying a reasonable entry price. There is a thriving comunity based around the site and regular events held, little wonder so many decent riders come from there.
I believe there are Australian states other than NSW that are closer to having this sort of setup, anyone else know? The terrain here in Sydney is terrific, it would be so great to have somewhere more sustainable to ride - as you say, there is money to be made into the bargain.
In my opinion, with regard to the Welsh tracks at least, the local councils are probably more adventurous with visitor drawing schemes than "richer" locations. Wales isn't a particularly well off country (thanks Thatcher!) and I assume they would be willing to take more chances to bring cash in. I can't imagine it is nearly as well off as the Northern Beaches.
The School track in Glasgow looks great.
The head honcho from MTB wales came out a year or two ago on invite from MTBA and gave a few talks to various land managers.
Awesome stuff and solid numbers on user numbers and benefits to communities near the trails.
Scotland's "Seven Staines" project is also worth a look http://www.7stanes.gov.uk/, this was a feature topic in last year stracks and trails conference which is attended by Department of lands, state forests, national parks personnel and other land managers.
I wish Bannerman High had this track when I was young....
I didn't go to the school due to the unfortunate policy of religious segregation in Scottish schools. I went to the equivalent state catholic school ( hence me now being a devout athiest ). If I had been a different religion, I would have gone to Bannerman. I think with this track, they may get a fair few religious conversions though !. It's worth pointing out though that unless it's changed a lot since I left Glasgow, Bannerman is not a well off private school. It is a state school in a fairly rough area of the East end of Glasgow ( which knows a thing or two about rough areas).
CB