|
Trail bike enthusiasts get ready: construction of the Tweed’s first mountain bike track recently commenced at Uki in the Tweed Valley.
Tweed Shire Council, in partnership with Tweed Valley Mountain Bike Riders, has engaged outdoor trail design and construction specialists Trailworx to build more than 8.5 km of mountain bike trails on Council-owned operational land adjacent to the Uki Wastewater Treatment Plant on Smiths Creek Road.
Work on the track began in late November and is expected to take about 6 months to complete, with the park projected to be opened to the public in mid-2023, weather permitting.
The project includes:
-
8 trails (2 climbing and 6 descending trails) covering more than 8.5 km, including green (beginner) and blue (intermediate) trails, and a black diamond level trail - all constructed to International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA) trail construction standards
-
construction of a pump track/skills park
-
car parking for up to 10 vehicles
-
staging or entry area including fencing and associated works
-
trail signage including trail markers, directional signage, park map and rules
-
necessary rehabilitation works and planting.
The project will include the removal of some trees (mostly camphor laurel regrowth) and earthworks for construction of the trails. Once the track is completed, revegetation planting will take place.
Council’s Manager Parks and Active Communities Murray Smith was thrilled to see the project finally underway.
“The mountain bike community has long been calling for a dedicated track of this kind and we are excited to be able to deliver,” Mr Smith said.
“The Uki Mountain Bike Park will be the first facility of its kind in the Tweed and will provide a variety of mountain bike riding options for people of all ages and experience.”
Tweed Valley Mountain Bike Riders Club president Hugh Flower, whose club members contributed to the establishment of the park, said it was great to finally see a mountain bike facility in the Tweed.
“Currently, mountain bike enthusiasts in the Tweed have to travel some distance – to Kyogle, Gold Coast or further south – to get their biking fix. This track, set in the heart of the spectacular Tweed Valley, is going to be a real drawcard for the local biking and broader community,” Mr Flower said.
“The facility has been developed with the community in mind, to progress new and younger riders in the area, and giving kids and youth more recreational opportunities.
“The club will also undertake bush regeneration to rehabilitate the land back to its natural state and will host community tree planting days, aiming to offset the project’s carbon footprint.”
Works will be undertaken from Monday to Saturday, between 7 am and 5 pm, with some construction noise from small earth moving equipment expected. However, construction will pause during the Christmas and New Year period and resume on approximately 9 January 2023.
The project has been made possible thanks to a $430,000 grant awarded through the NSW Office of Sport – Regional Sports Facility Fund 2021-22.
|