Mountain bike riders dig in to maintain Garigal’s popular tracks

Media release: 23 November 2016

The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) together with the local mountain biking community have started an innovative program for maintaining the very popular mountain bike tracks in Garigal National Park.

NPWS Area Manager Robin Aitken said it’s been two years since the Gahnia and Serrata Mountain bike tracks opened in the Bantry Bay area of Garigal National Park.

“More than 45,000 laps of the two circuits have been completed by riders since the new mountain bike tracks were opened in 2014,” Ms Aitken said.

“The tracks have held together remarkably well over the past two years, even during severe east coast low events, but this program of involving the mountain biking community will mean we are ahead of the issues well into the future.

“As part of the mountain bike community’s commitment to the NPWS Mountain Bike Project, ten Trail Care volunteers will learn the skills to identify issues and how to rectify them. 

“The day will give these important volunteers the skills to supervise ongoing maintenance days of the tracks into the future.”

The two popular tracks replaced a number of illegal tracks in the area.

“NPWS undertook extensive strategies in June 2015 to close a series of unauthorised mountain bike tracks in the Bantry Bay area,” Ms Aitken said.

“Due to the strong support of the local mountain bike riders, none of the unauthorised tracks have been reopened or new unauthorised tracks constructed in Garigal National Park at Bantry Bay over the past 18months.

“This has been a fantastic result which has protected the unique natural and cultural heritage values of the park such as the endangered coastal upland swamp and nearby significant Aboriginal sites,” she said.

The two new tracks were designed and constructed using international best practice, minimising impacts on the surrounding environment through a combination of diverting the route away from vulnerable areas and techniques to prevent erosion, siltation and water flow.

The first track maintenance training day was held on Sunday 20th November conducted by NPWS and the original trail building contractor, TrailScapes

Contact: Gabrielle Last