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Northern Beaches National Parks to pilot Sustainable MTB Access
I'm very pleased... neigh... ecstatic to be able to share this news which broke last night but has been embargoed until now.
With local MP Mike Baird championing the cause of mountain bike riders on the Northern Beaches NPWS have finally realised that working together with riders is the sensible way forward. There's a story in the Manly Daily with brief details here:
http://manly-daily.whereilive.com.au/news/story/...
Mike's press release here:
http://www.mikebaird.com.au/interactive/manly_ne...
Aside from what is stated in the press, these are the outcomes as I was told:
- Northern Beaches has been chosen as a pilot area for the Government to improve mountain biking trails in national parks across the State.
- A full day of consultation will be held in late October with Northern Beaches mountain biking groups and environmentalists. This consultation will focus on statewide issues and then local issues at Garigal.
- NPWS are keen to resolve current tension at Garigal as soon as possible. The Regional Director for the Northern Area has instructed rangers on the ground to adopt a pragmatic approach until the issue is resolved.
- This initial stage of consultation will direct the Government's broader strategy on mountain biking, which will be finalised at the beginning of next year.
This does not mean that riding illegal trails is now OK - far from it. Many people have worked very hard to achieve this outcome and now is the time to show them your support and the opponents of mountain biking that the community is mature and can work well with other parties. The vast majority of riders has shown great patience but we need to hold that thought just a while longer.
This news shows what can be achieved with a positive attitude and the support of the community, and hope we can all look forward to what is to come.
Will be keeping everyone posted when more news is known about the upcoming meeting and progress in general.
Northern Beaches Hazzard Reduction Burns 12/13 September
Update: The burns in the Cascades area have been delayed one week until Sep 12/13.
Just had this from the Rangers:
Just to let you know there are major HR burns planed for Northern Beaches Area in the next few days.
1. Barrie Street area of East Killara tomorrow Thursday 3rd – Barrie St & Two Creeks Tracks closed
2. Cascades, Heath, Bare Creek, Lower Cambourne, Quarry, Frenchs Creek & all other walking tracks in the area will be closed on Saturday 5th & Sunday 6th with a big HR burns in the area.
All walking tracks in both the areas will also be closed for several days after the burns to ensure they are safe from falling timber.
Sustainable Mountain Biking in NSW - Management Strategies for NPWS Discussion
As some of you may have read, Mike Baird is helping mountain bike riders with issues they have been having with regards access in National Parks, and particularly here on the Northern Beaches (Mike's electorate of course, which is where his interest lies).
As the press release linked above points out, yesterday Mike met with Carmel Tebbutt (Deputy Premier, Minister for Climate Change and the Environment, and Minister for Commerce) to discuss these issues.
I was privileged to attend this meeting and put the case for mountain bike riders in the discussion. We as a group should also be very thankful that certain individuals are so generous with their time as to support these efforts and produce documents like the Oxford Falls Submission.
To support the meeting agenda yesterday these tireless authors again came up with another outstanding document on sustainable riding practices and strategies for an amicable way forward. Copies of this were handed out at the meeting and have linked a soft copy here for reference:
Sustainable Mountain Biking in NSW - Management Strategies for NPWS Discussion
Massive thanks once again to Mike and his assistant for their support and everyone else involved in this.
As for the meeting... In my view it went very well and was very positive. We are awaiting clarification on a couple of points but hopefully there will be some nice news to report shortly. Stay tuned!
Sustainable Mountain Biking in NSW - Management Strategies for NPWS Discussion (cover)
From the document discussed here: http://nobmob.com/node/10285
Northern Beaches National Parks (April 2009)
This is basically a screen shot of the Northern Beaches with National Parks highlighted. The KML came from the source discussed here:
Vandalism: ban all drivers!
Re the NPWS pathetic response to removal of the "no access" barriers at Oxford Falls I noticed this article (and an editorial) in Today's The Manly Daily and cannot resist the urge to say here what the NPWS would undoubtedly already be advising the Police:
Ban all drivers from all roads in NSW. Now!
National Park Planning in the Blue Mountains
Fell into my inbox this morning:
Plans of management for Blue Mountains, Kanangra-Boyd and Wollemi National Parks, part of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, are currently being revised by the NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS). An opportunity exists for stakeholders to register their interest in the planning process.
LNCP Public Planning Meeting
North Ryde RSL Community Club (Pittwater and Magdala Roads– North Ryde).
http://www.northrydersl.com.au/
This is not a ride, but everyone who is interested in riding in Lane Cove National Park should attend!
Please register your attendance (name and number of people) by COB 14th August to either:
[email protected] (preferred)
Tel: 02 8448 0400
It is a public session being run by NPWS where they will be discussing the review of the current Plan of Management. A show of support for riding in the park would very much help the cause.
Notes from LCNP Stakeholder Meeting 16 Jul
So, I went to a LCNP stakeholder meeting with NPWS last night. Here are a few notes that people here might be interested in...
There were maybe 35 people there. Mostly they were the from the more mature park patronage age group. The only recreational pursuits represented (by 4 people) were kayaking, MTB, trail running. There were a few officials from local councils, RTA, etc. and the rest of the group being from more conservation based groups.
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..."
