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NSW NPWS
Garigal NP/Bantry Bay Proposed Trails - Act Now!
There have been a couple of threads go up on the form about this, but this is actually big, BIG news so please take note.
NPWS have out for comment some proposed amendments to Garigal National Park plan of management. These include construction of a Mountain Bike Track Bantry Bay. Ie. a step closer to the long awaited authorised access to this area.
It's in everyone's interest to get behind this... which is as easy as visiting this page...
... and completing the form with some words like, "I'm a keen parks user who fully supports the proposal to create sustainable mountain bike trails at Bantry Bay, and anywhere else in the Sydney's suburban parks for that matter.". Of course, don't use those exact words, but you get the gist.
More details and discussion in these threads (comments on this news item are intentionally disabled):
NPWS Bantry Bay Proposed Trails - Open for Comment - NEW NORTHERN BEACHES MTB TRAILS
NPWS Release of docos for public exhibition (AND COMMENT)
Please don't forget to complete the NSW National Parks survey
If you've got a few minutes over the holiday break then please don't forget to head on over to the Mountain Bike Riding in NSW National Parks survey and add your input. Link here:
http://www.landscapemap2.org/nswmtnbike/
More on this and discussion at the original NSW National Parks Mountain Biking Survey thread (thanks wilso_ac).
Garigal National Park is about to get an official mountain bike track!
For those that don't know, there was a meeting near Bantry Bay this morning between the Environment Minister, Treasurer, NSW NPWS Director and other such folk... oh - and a couple of local MTB riders 
An announcement coming from the press (I'm yet to see the official NPWS press release, but trust the Daily on this one) is that, "Garigal National Park is about to get an official mountain bike track."
Massive thanks to all of you who believed and supported this for so long. No doubt there will be more news on this and other developments coming, so keep an eye out.
The Manly Daily story is here:
http://manly-daily.whereilive.com.au/news/story/...
Update: There was a second story in the Daily that quote's Mike Baird as saying and announcement was expected in the “next few weeks.". Excellent news!
Thank you all for your submissions!
Just a quick note to thank everyone who commented on the NPWS mountain bike discussion paper over the last month or so.
It might have taken some prompting (sorry), but a nice flow of submissions ended up on the government's forum. The final tally was 2310 comments across the 6 topics listed.
To highlight what a sterling job mountain bike riders have done in showing the department what a massive demand for mountain biking facilities there is, just have a look at a couple of other topics on the 'Shape Your State' site and the interest they received:
- Health Reform received 242 comments across 13 topics.
- Barangaroo development received 290 comments across 17 topics.
So go mountain bikers! Hopefully these numbers will prove to be a message that the authorities just cannot ignore.
Over 2 years of NPWS indecision on Mountain Bike Trails
Following up from NPWS issues - It's time for some letter writing!, here's what I just sent to the minister and senior DECCW staff:
Dear Minister and senior staff,
Skippy rides a Cannondale
Has anybody seen this week's Meldrum's Manifesto cartoon taking the piss out of the trail access debate in today's Manly Daily?
On the right is a sign saying "National Park and Animal Sanctuary: Absolutely and Utterly NO Mountain Bikes". Two rangers are looking at each other with their eyes bulging in shock. The subject of their amazement is a kangaroo smirking at them with a cheeky grin, sailing through the air over their heads on a yellow hardtail with a Headshok fork.
Ranger Left says to Ranger Right "I think I'm just gonna try to forget I ever SAW that..."
NPWS Rider Limits
I've just had an email from NPWS regarding rider limits on organised rides in National Parks.
The attached form one was asked to sign lists (amongst others) the following fees:
- Application Administration fee: $55.00 - Dependent upon application
- Application fee: Dependent upon application
- Per head fee: To be advised if applicable
- Security Deposit and other fees: To be advised if applicable
As you can see, signing such a form leaves anyone open to at least a $55 liability and probably more as these fees are TBA and no limit is mentioned on the form.
You will also note from the below that a three week notice is required which is probably unworkable.
From this I think there is little option but to limit all rides to 20 or less and I'll be turning that on now. Sorry, but this is bureaucracy run wild and have told NPWS as much. 
National Parks and Wildlife Service
Can some people please explain to me the structure of the NPWS and who to talk to in a particular region about access? Its the Hornsby area that we are looking at. There is a joint managed recreation park (Berowra Valley) and we need to lobby for permission to run a track through this joint managed section. Is it a local thing? A NSW thing? Who are the decision makers in regards to an issue like this? Would council be better off doing the negotiation or can individuals do it?
Sign at Bantry Bay
I was at the Dam today and went over the Bantry Bay. There is now a no bikes sign at the start of the singletrack. It also has a little comment about it being a Aboriginal site.
Is this new? It's been a fair few weeks since I been there.
Unfortunately I still saw plenty of bikes riding out of there who obviously ignored the signs.