Patricia Gill, Denmark Bulletin

The Denmark Mountain Bike Club intends to negotiate a bigger presence in the long term on Mt Hallowell in keeping with a plan to develop a trails network on 68ha of the reserve.

This follows the Denmark Shire Council decision on October 18 to turn down the 68ha concept and include only an area in the foothills, plus at least one ‘green’ (lower challenge) trail on Mt Hallowell.

The foothills area includes the ‘unsanctioned’ trails which will be rebuilt according to professional safety standards and signposted.

Denmark Mountain Bike Club president Brad Drummond said it was unfortunate that there was a view in the community that mountain bikers were ‘environmental animals’.

“We’re not just riding downhill through the bush in our helmets and chest armour; we enjoy the forest too,” he said.

However, the council’s decision with the view of recreational opportunities for young people over-turns the recommendation of chief executive David Schober and deputy chief executive David King.

They had advised that on balance the environmental risks out-weighed the recreational benefits to the community, young people in particular.

Heading the Denmark Environment Centre’s opposition to the 68ha project, Bob Gretton said DEC did not get involved until an original project of 24ha was expanded to 68ha.

The 68ha proposal included the ‘core’ 170ha of key biodiversity value but reports had not been completed for that project stage which had been opposed by 68 per cent of community submissions.

Three Chillies consultants had proposed the plan for 68ha site which was completed in June last year with a four-person committee chaired by Lenore Lyons of Outdoors Great Southern.

Dr Lyons and representatives from the Shire, Mountain Bike Club, Running Club had “okayed” the change from a 24ha to 68ha project.

Mr Gretton said that if the correct procedure were to be followed and the project went to the Environment Minister and the Environmental Protection Authority for input such a process would be diffïcult and accrue big costs.

Also the process would be impossible without the reports on the 68ha site being completed.

Mr Drummond said the club had wanted the eight phase or 68ha of trails to go ahead and believed that in 10-15 years, and given the right processes, this could be achieved.

Elsewhere in WA, infrastructure had been built on A Class Reserves such as the windfarm on Wilson Head and tourist infrastructure on Rottnest Island.

The new development plan requires an updated management plan, the lodgement of a development application, obtaining relevant licenses and permits, completion of flora and fauna studies and a cultural survey.

Meanwhile the Shire will look into developing a mountain bike project for a block of land on Turner Road for the next fïnancial year.

Also to be considered is a park-like trail network at Berridge Park with the possibility of expansion to McLean Park and other nearby reserves.

Mr Drummond said the Turner Road project would suit intermediate to advanced mountain bikers because of the rocky steep terrain.

Its distance from town without linking walk trails made it less attractive to young riders whereas Mt Hallowell was more accessible and in the event of an accident help could be easily obtained.

The Turner Road proposal had only a downhill trail whereas the Mt Hallowell proposal was for ride-in ride-out access.

Mr Drummond said the Mt Hallowell development provided a solution to the unsanctioned trails though the Denmark Mountain Bike Club would have liked a trail higher in the mountain.

At the council meeting, a third motion was proposed by Cr Kingsley Gibson and shire president Ceinwen Gearon that the concept plan should continue broadly in accordance with the Eight Phase Three Chillies 68ha proposal.

This was lost 6-2.

This article appeared in the Denmark Bulletin, 27 October 2022.