Mountain bikers in Ballarat have expressed feelings of anxiety, concern and anger after hearing news of Parks Victoria's plans to close a number of trails in Woowookarung Regional Park.
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Ballarat Mountain Bike Club shared a social media post on Thursday detailing information they received from Parks Victoria that a number of trails in the Katy Ryans Road and Davidsons Road area will be closed.
The trails marked for closure include a number of user favourites Minefield, Woodwards, Itchy Leg, Katys Trail and Tiptoe, that have been well used for about 10 years.
A lot of people are feeling really anxious at the moment about the future of the park and how it is going.
- Jess Egan, Ballarat Sebastopol Cycling Club
Ballarat Sebastopol Cycling Club board member and mountain biker Jess Egan said the committee was seeking more information from Parks Victoria.
"We are feeling like we don't have all of the information about the drivers for the project," she said.
"We are looking for more clarity as to why these proposals have come about given the significant community and social value placed on the park.
"It came to light a lot more during the pandemic lockdowns how important accessibly green space is."
Ms Egan said a number of women and children riders were particularly concerned as the Woowookarung trails were some of the most suitable in Ballarat to all skill and fitness levels.
A monthly women's ride and a children's skills program frequently use the Woowookarung trails.
"New riders and people with less confidence in their skills feel confident in there," Ms Egan said.
"A lot of people are feeling really anxious at the moment about the future of the park and how it is going.
"It feels the consultation that is occurring between Parks Victoria and members of the community probably needs to be strengthened.
"We don't know what is going to happen in the space we have all really grown a connection to over the years."
The Ballarat Mountain Bike Club committee campaigned for Parks Victoria to keep all trails that had been used for events in the past, what is known as the 12km event loop.
The club committee said they had not been provided with clear plans or timelines for the development of new mountain bike trails, as mentioned in the Woowookarung Regional Park strategic directions plan.
"It would seem logical that any trail closure should occur after this network is complete so that the mountain bike community are not unfairly disadvantaged," a social media post said.
Parks Victoria ran community consultation about the future of Woowookarung in 2017. Their strategic plan was released in 2018.
The strategic plan stated existing mountain bike trails would be monitored and possibly modified in the future and new trails were proposed.
Other user groups including bushwalkers, runners, environmentalists and horse riders also contributed to the consultation.
The strategic plan outlines aims to regenerate the forest and create ecological corridors.
Ms Egan said Parks Victoria's response after consultation with the mountain bike club was to close the 'most valuable' tracks as soon as this month, without providing any details on plans for new tracks.
"There was only a concession for one of those trails to be kept going forward," she said.
Parks Victoria area chief ranger Siobhan Rogan said in a statement mountain biking in Woowookarung Regional Park was permitted on roads and formed trails that have been 'designated for that activity'.
"Off-road riding and construction of unsanctioned trails, however, is not permitted and is harmful to the environment - and potentially other park users," she said.
"The Woowookarung Strategic Directions Plan 2018 - on which there was wide community consultation - outlines plans to consolidate trails in the park and create additional designated areas for mountain biking, as well as other recreation activities.
"This will both provide protection for the environment and balance for the many different people and groups that wish to recreate in different ways in the park."
The statement said new tracks would be considered after the informal trail network was managed.
Parks Victoria said its current focus of the Woowookarung plan was to formalise a '10,000 Steps walk' for all park users to experience.
Ms Egan said the trails at Woowookarung were highly valued because of their proximity to the city, meaning many people could ride from their home, and the types of trailed were varied, catering for a range of abilities.
"There are a variety of mountain bikers using the track: men, women and children. Some people ride in there multiple times a week," she said.
"It is really highly used and is having really positive impacts for social and well-being.
"In my personal experience since I have been using the park, about seven years, I feel like anti-social behaviour has really dropped off in that time because of the increased presence of mountain bikers.
"There is a strong community connection to those trails."
Ms Egan said Parks Victoria had outlined the proposal for only a small area of the park, so the riders were concerned about what plans could be for other areas.
"People are concerned this is going to happen in other areas of single track mountain bikers use in the park," she said.
The trails are also used by runners and horse riders.
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