An Orienteering event in the Ben Bullen State Forest on 20 & 21 Nov has been booked and will have a range of people running and walking in the forest over the weekend. Mostly from 12 noon on Sat in the northern part and in the earlier part of the day in the southern section on Sunday. We’ll have a small group demobilising on Sunday afternoon. There will be kids as young as 10 up to people in their 80’s in the forest.
Contact for this event is John Fuller – 0419 629 212
The forest may be closed for this so avoid riding here if you can.
Centraltablelands Local Land Services have done some more work around the rock bridge behind Clarance MX track. While it has been excellent for us riders they did notice a substantial amount of sediment finding it’s way down from the eastern approaches. The powerline company came to the party and did some grading to clean up the area and realign the top section of the hill to stop any more sediment from washing down. This is great for the swamp and keeps our access working well. In fact the riders access has done no damage at all which is a great result!
As a result, Outdoors has agreed to assist us with our efforts of advocating for the Trail Bike community.
Outdoors NSW & ACT has formed a trail bike Sub-Committee which comprises of representatives from the peak body and from the MCC’s trail bike Sub-Committee.
A Strategic Intent document has been released, you can read it here. We intend to use it as a talking point with stakeholders to start the development of this strategy.
Outdoors NSW & ACT is the peak body for Outdoor Recreation, Education, Therapy and Adventure Tourism in NSW and the ACT. It supports the industry, its people and organisations in outdoor pursuits that enable the health and well-being of our communities.
A large part of Outdoors NSW & ACT’s work is enabling policy consideration and change to increase participation in the outdoors. Their goals are:-
Work with stakeholders to advocate for effective policy change on behalf of the industry to increase awareness and participation in the community.
Build awareness of the industry’s contribution to health and wellbeing to increase active participation both internally as career opportunities and to externally to communities.
Continually provide opportunities for the industry to develop, prosper and remain a sustainable activity for generations to come
Outdoors NSW & ACT has been evolving for over 30 years. Established in 1984 as The Outdoor Professionals and later becoming the Outdoor Recreation Industry Council of NSW (ORIC) the organisation has long been recognised as the peak industry body representing the interests of outdoor practitioners and employers in NSW & the ACT.
Outdoors NSW ACT is supported by the NSW Office Of Sport. This Partnership acknowledges the work Outdoors NSW & ACT does to develop the outdoor recreation sector and the need to promote the benefits of participating in outdoors activities to the NSW community. The Partnership with the NSW Office of Sport provides an avenue for the sector’s voice to be heard by the government.
What is the Outdoors NSW & ACT Sub-Committee trying to achieve?
Recognise Trail Bike riding as an activity that has large participation and value
Gain consideration of needs of recreational motorbikes by identified stakeholders
Legitimise Trail Bike riding as a legal and beneficial pursuit.
These objectives will be achieved by developing a strategy to promote the interests of trail riders.
Jellore Community 2nd Walk Day – September 4th now confirmed. As an important trail riding location, explore it even more with other stakeholders on the 4th. See you there!
Jellore NPWS Flora Reserve Working Group Meeting Friday 27th August. This is to discuss the designation changes and Trail Bike access to reserve.
We are working with Outdoors NSW/ACT in developing their Trail Riding position. Strategy intent document in draft. Next meeting is 12th July.
Commenced dialogue with Bicycling NSW around common issues re mountain bikes and e-bikes.
Invite to top 10 trail bike importers being organised to attend a future information meeting, including KTM, Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki, Kawasaki, Husqvarna and Betta.
“For the purposes of this strategy the focus will be on the recreational aspects of off road motorcycling and only includes two wheeled motorcycles. Recreational riding opportunities and facilities are the focus of this strategy. There are three main types of off road motorcycling Off Road Recreational (Trail) Riding, Adventure Riding and Motocross including Mini Bikes. “
The major issue facing off road motorcyclists in South Australia is the lack of legitimate areas to ride. In SA the main access to riding areas is through membership of affiliated clubs to Motorcycling SA and some private ride parks and rural properties. With the exception of a small number of club based and private off road parks, which mainly suits unregistered motorcycles, and the public road network, which is not adequate for off road motorcycling, there are no areas purposely set aside for this activity.
The strategies and actions identified to address these issues have been included under four key strategic areas and are outlined here:
FACILITIES PROVISION
Develop a series of ‘on road’ (formed gravel) trails for adventure riding throughout South Australia
Develop and enhance off road ride parks. Obtain access to forest areas for more dynamic riding experiences.
Develop initiatives and tools to improve access to off road motorcycling facilities, venues and areas.
EDUCATION AND AWARENESS Increase awareness, safety and education for responsible rider behaviour. Educate riders to conduct their activities legally and responsibly.
GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT Establish a governance and management structure to implement the Strategy.
Encourage the inclusion of off road facility development in government long term planning.
SUSTAINABILITY Discourage illegitimate off road motorcycling riding. Advocate for additional funding to implement the Strategy. Minimise impacts on the environment from off road motorcycling.
The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI), the peak body for the automotive industry in Australia, today released sales for motorcycles and off highway vehicles (OHVs) for full year 2020.
Total sales for the year were recorded at 108,926 units, an increase of 19,727 vehicles and 22.1 per cent on full year 2019 when 89,199 sales were recorded.
OHVs demonstrated significant sales growth during the year, with 24,856 vehicles sold. This represents a strong increase of 6,950 vehicles, or 38.8 per cent, over the same period in 2019 when 17,906 vehicles were sold.
Off-Road motorcycles also recorded strong growth, with 44,697 vehicles sold during the year – a 30.3 per cent increase on the 2019 calendar year when a total of 34,298 units were sold.
Similarly, road bikes exhibited an increase in sales, with 34,912 units sold during 2020. This represents an increase of 9.2 per cent, or 2,931 units, on calendar year 2019 when 31,981 units were sold.
Scooters were the only segment of the 2020 motorcycle and OHV full year sales to record a decrease. A total of 4,461 units were sold, 553 fewer, or 11 per cent less, than the 5,014 sales recorded in 2019.
Tony Weber, chief executive of the FCAI, said the increased sales were welcomed by the industry.
“Given the difficult market conditions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, it is reassuring to see segments of the market continuing to perform well.
“The rise in popularity of personal transport in this segment demonstrates that OHVs, off-road motorcycles and road bikes were a preferred option for many recreational and commuting activities during the year,” Mr Weber said.
The Victorian Government has committed $2.8 million from the Motorcycle Safety Levy to boost safety for trail bike riders in the popular Neerim State Forest.
The Motorcycle Council of NSW has been contacted about the legality of using Old Convict Road at Paynes Crossing.
The MCC has visited the area and also spoken to Singleton Council and the National Parks and Wildlife ranger responsible for Yengo National Park.
Attached is a series of maps of the eastern end of Old Convict Road where there is ‘on paper’ a road reserve that would give access to Wollombi Road. While Google maps show that the road reserve is relatively open, it is now very much overgrown, see attached photo taken on 28th January. There is about a 10 metre almost vertical drop down to Wollombi Brook so you can’t even walk across let alone ride.
These maps show the track continuing onto Stockyard Creek Road but this section is across private property and there are signs on this gate to that effect.
Old Convict Road can be accessed at the western end from the Putty Road. However, the road doesn’t quite follow the road reserve so be careful not to stray off the formed track.
It should be noted that Old Convict Road may not be passable as it is possible creek crossing are washed away or there are fallen trees. You also need to respect the needs of private property on either side of the road by closing gates and not adversely disturbing stock and horses.
If you access Old Convict Road from the Putty Road you have to come back out the way you went in as there is no way out at Paynes Crossing and the only trails off Old Convict Road, North Link Trail and South Link Trail, have locked gates.
You can also follow this route by using Google Maps by searching for Howes Trail, then follow it to the Yango Track, Finchley Track and then Yango Creek Road to the Great Northern Road.
Map showing Old Convict Road coming out at Gunnadoo on Wollombi Road. The track continues south to Stockyards Creek Road but this is across private property.
Sign on the gate at Stockyard Creek Road.
How ‘on paper’ you could get from Old Convict Road across to Wollombi Road using the road reserve however it is overgrown and there is a steep embankment.
The gate on Wollombi Road accessing the road reserve. Very much overgrown since this was taken.
The gate on the road reserve as it was on 28th January 2021.
The gate on Putty Road accessing Old Convict Road.
The Putty Road end (western end) of Old Convict Road.
The topographic map at the Putty Road end shows Old Convict Road doesn’t quite follow the road reserve.
“A recent joint Operation with the Tuggerah Lakes Police – Trail Bike Unit, along with officers from the National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS), and Forestry Corporation was conducted in relation compliance checks in the Watagan State Forest.”
Credit: Content extracted from Tuggerah Lakes Police Facebook page
