Mt Disappointment trail bike meeting outcomes
15 Sep 09
Hi all,
Cathy Soulsby, Paul Sanders (representing Reedy Creek) and I attended the Community Reference Group (CRG) meeting this evening held at Broadford.
It was confirmed that decisions on the future of the planned Trail Bike Visitors Area rested with the CRG. It also appeared that there has been time pressure associated with the project. This is due to money being allocated that has to be spent by June 2010.
Our CMAG made a presentation and raised discussion. The Reedy Creek Progress Association presented their petition objecting to the Trail Bike Visitors Area.
It was agreed by most of the non- DSE people at the meeting that the opening of the forest in November is too soon. This opinion will be passed back through the DSE.
No reason was given to the lack of consultation with the local residents.
I have been invited to join the DSG as the local resident representative and I will deputise when I am not available to either Paul Sanders or Cathy Soulsby.
The media attention has been effective in raising a higher profile attendance of DSE personnel to the meeting that included the director of forests. Tuesday's North Central Review front page story and letter to the editor raised the profile of the issue.
It was agreed by all at the CRG that the Leviathan Road site will not go ahead due to the objection of the local residents. Reducing conflict of forest users is one of the objectives of the project.
It was agreed that a Trail Bike Visitors Area is still needed in the forest. Advantages are that parking is placed in one area and that forest use guidance would be displayed.
It was agreed that any Trail Bike Visitors Area should be at least 2 kilometres from any residential dwelling.
It could not be decided as to an alternative location in spite of a strong push for the Regular Camp site to be used. The DSE feel that other users would like the site to remain a picnic area. Camp No 1 was discounted due to the high number of forest users that camp there overnight. Ted Wearne, the local DSE Ranger was not in attendance at the meeting but his views were expressed through his DSE colleague Garry Mc Clusky. Ted had been the strong force behind the decision to develop the Leviathan Rd site and was not keen to develop Regular Camp site for this purpose.
It was decided that a field trip for the CRG will be organized sometime in the next couple of weeks to look for alternative sites.
Please email your suggestions to me for alternative locations to be investigated.
If you feel strongly regarding the opening of the forest to the public so soon after the fire, based on environmental concerns, then I suggest you to -
Email or call your MP- Ben Hardman, contact the DSE with your concerns and/or write to the media.
Cheers
Trevor Viénet