GREATER HOBART MOUNTAIN BIKE MASTER PLAN LAND MANAGER UPDATES AUGUST 2014 City of Hobart (CoH) Immediate works Radfords Track – On-ground construction work is complete, except installation of replacement signage. Signage hasn’t been installed yet as the WPMT required that their Sign Manual be updated and that all tracks within the Park are difficulty rated. The WPMT have updated their Sign Manual, but they have not organised the time to grade all tracks. Tip Top Track – On-ground construction work is complete. The track is to be included in the Greater Hobart Trails website. Strickland Falls link – CoH is hoping to pursue the missing link between Rivulet Track to Middle Island Fire Trail however budget was not provided for this project in 14/15. The funding for the track will be sought in 15/16. Chalet Downhill Track. Planning work for the proposed Chalet DH Track will recommence following completion of community engagement for the proposed Old Farm Track conversion, which is expected to occur in November 2014. Old Farm Track – the lower half of the Chalet DH Track concept is to include an alteration of Old Farm Track from its current bi-directional shared use position to a downhill only track for mountain bike riders. The Council is about to commence the community engagement which will inform the recommendation to the Council and to the Trust. It is expected that the result will be known by November 2014. Middle Track (Radfords Track to Reservoir Trail) – CoH has funding provided in the 14/15 budget to undertake works which will tighten up some sections and help passively manage straight-line speed on this trail as well as works to improve drainage. This is subject to the WPMT undertaking its social values assessment and the provision of a Works Permit from the WPMT. If the social values assessment is not progressed in the near term, Council will not be able to implement these changes and the funding will be diverted to other projects. o WPMT has advised that it will consider a shared use trial for this section of Middle Track ‘to ascertain social and other impacts’, subject to the approval of the Trust. CoH has advised WPMT that approval for a shared use trial, including the scope of such a trial, must be provided by the end of August 2014. CoH has advised that this deadline is necessary so that the Bushland and Reserve Unit has adequate time to redirect the available funding toward alternative projects if the Trust does not allow a trial to proceed. Fern Tree Park to Pillinger Drive – CoH has funding provided in the 14/15 budget to undertake works which will tighten up some sections and help passively manage straight-line speed on this trail as well as works to improve drainage. This is subject to the WPMT undertaking its social values assessment and the provision of a Works Permit from the WPMT. If the social values assessment is not progressed in the near term, Council will not be able to implement these changes and the funding will be diverted to other projects. o WPMT has advised that it will consider a shared use trial for this section Fern Tree Park track ‘to ascertain social and other impacts’, subject to the approval of the Trust. CoH has advised WPMT that approval for a shared use trial, including the scope of such a trial, must be provided by the end of August 2014. CoH has advised that this deadline is necessary so that the Bushland and Reserve Unit has adequate time to redirect the available funding toward alternative projects if the Trust does not allow a trial to proceed. S56 – CoH had funding provided in the 14/15 budget to undertake work to repair and formalise this track. However the Council has since required that the decking and handrails of the twin bridges on the Pipeline Track be increased to provide for shared use. This has resulted in the funding for the S56 Track being taken to assist in funding that project. The funding for the track will be sought in 15/16. Kingborough Council (KC) Kingborough MTB Park – there has been no further work at the MTB park. Council is aware of some simple maintenance requirements, however these are yet to be actioned. Some minor re- gravelling work was proposed with the support of Dirt Art but this has not yet progressed further Alum Cliffs Track – Not currently a MTB trail, but plans are progressing very well to connect the new section of the Alum Cliffs Trail (from the existing track to the Shot Tower) to link with Wandella Ave and therefore providing a connection with the Taroona Foreshore Trail. This project is still at the land acquisition stage but is coming along quite well .  Clarence City Council (CCC) Immediate works Pilchers Hill - Pilchers Hill Track and Caves Hill Track have been constructed. These will be made one-way uphill with plans to improve fire trails for downhills to create a loop. Clarence MTB Park – The Caretaker Program, in conjunction with the volunteer trail builder program, have been working hard in the park and surrounding area. o The trail from Clarence MTB Park to Belbins Rd parallel to the Tasman Hwy will be upgraded shortly o The switchback descent in the MTB park will be re-aligned to provide an easier route to connect the upgraded Belbins Rd link o General park drainage works are being done o A 2km+ beginners loop will be constructed at the Clarence MTB Park shortly o The Greencorp dual direction trail will be connected to the top of the downhill track (approximately 300m new trail) and the lower sections will be re-routed to create a formal trail head. This will maximise the descent while providing a much nicer/easier entry into the climb (approximately 600m new trail) Tangara Trail o A boardwalk has been constructed on the Clear Lagoon Track over the boggy section between Farnaby Place and Deeprose Way o A new switchback section was installed off Gellibrand Drive on the track that comes out at Calverts Lagoon o Major track upgrade along the 400m low lying poorly drained section of the Emu Trail o Major track upgrade along the section of the Mortimer Bay Coastal Trail starting at the southern MB Coastal Reserve car park and extending 500m to the southwards Planning works Pilchers Hill. A new track connection is being planned from Pilchers Hill, around the back of Caves Hill, to join up with tracks from Belbins Rd. This involves negotiation with a private landowner. Members of the CMBP committee are pursuing this. Mortimer Bay Coastal Trail – An extension to Palana Court is being planned. A Reserve Activity Assessment is almost complete and works have been funded for 2014/15 financial year. A risk assessment will be carried out on the existing section of the Mortimer Bay Coastal Trail at the end of August. Meehan Range – A draft Meehan Range Strategic Plan is being finalised (which is being coordinated by Dirt Art). Once it has been approved for consultation by PWS and CCC it will be presented to stakeholders for feedback. It includes Clarence MTB Park, Belbins Rd area, Pilchers Hill area and Risdon Vale. Glenorchy City Council (GCC) Immediate works Glenorchy MTB Park – maps and signage– new signage is now installed (as of Friday 8 August). This included directional signage and trail maps, three recommended loop tracks around the park (1 easy, 2 intermediate) and all trails in the park are now graded and signposted to IMBA standards. There is also a new downloadable, printable trail map which is available from the GCC website or as a brochure. There is also an interactive trail map on the GCC website which people can view on their smart phones. Check it out here: gcc.tas.gov.au/content/Glenorchy_Mountain_Bike_Park.GCC?ActiveID=1321. We look forward to any feedback so that we can tweak it so that it works best for our users. In conjunction with the new signage we have undertaken some trail work to ensure all tracks in the Glenorchy MTB Park are to their promoted standards, including maintenance and reinforcement work on the NS Track and upgrading the access trail between the main bike hub beside the downhill jumps and the Water Fire Trail. The pines around the North Shore track have been cleared, the degraded and overgrown ramps and boarded jumps in this area have been removed and, after being closed for many years, a shortened North Shore trail will be reopened within the next few months. Wellington Park Management Trust (WPMT) West Wellington Multi Day Track – consultants engaged to determine potential routes for an ‘epic’ ride in Wellington Park using a recently developed GIS route finding model. Project working group will meet later this month to select preferred routes for more detailed assessment (project due for completion in November 2014). HCC Works Permit request to convert a number of tracks in Wellington Park to multi-use. - The Trust has completed a draft scoping document to guide the cultural and environmental impact assessments required before existing single use tracks can be converted to multi-use and new mountain bike tracks constructed. It should be noted that, whilst the GHMBMP recommended a range of new mountain bike tracks and conversion of existing walking tracks to multi-use, it did not include any assessment of the impacts or feasibility of these recommendations. The draft scoping document provides a framework for completing the required assessments Work on Radfords track to slow bike speeds – completed. In response to requests from downhill riders for other ride options, the Trust is working with HCC to complete the assessments necessary to determine if Old Farm Track can be converted from multi-use to single use for mountain bikes. The Trust has also advised that it is prepared to issue vehicle permits to allow riders access to the downhill track in the Glenorchy Mountain Bike Park Middle Track and Fern Tree Park to Pillinger Drive link – The Trust is working with HCC to progress conversion of Lower Fern Glade Track and the section of Middle Track between the reservoir and Radfords Track to multi-use on a trial basis, pending completion of a comprehensive assessment of the social, environmental and heritage impacts of permanent conversion of these tracks  Ranger monitoring report o Ongoing monitoring of shared use and walking tracks o Illegal trackwork: Grays Fire Trail-Pipeline. Discovered a steep and hairy Freeride/DH track in November. HCC tracks unit closed it off end November o Informal Tracks – Upper Luge. Close-off works were gradually undone by users, mostly walkers, to the point that bikes were returning. Tracks unit went in again to reinstate close off in December Thanks to Jackie Wynwood | Client Manager, Planning, Facilities and Environments | Communities, Sport and Recreation Tasmania | Department of Premier and Cabinet |
Posted on: Thu, 21 Aug 2014 01:58:37 +0000