Bonogin (smith road) downhill track - closed permanently

[harveyp]

All

Detailed below is an email received by Gold Coast MTB Club Inc. from the Senior Ranger - Gold Coast City Council. The message is clear - continue to construct illegal trails and they will be closed with financial consequences applied against any person found to be constructing/riding these trails.

Everyone should realise by now that the authorities (whether we like it or not) will not tolerate illegal mountain bike tracks. Incidents like this do not help the efforts of persons/organisations who are trying to gain access to forest areas for the construction of legal tracks which in itself is a major task - just ask the Tamborine MTB BUG!!

There will be plenty of opportunity shortly for riders to help reinstate the legal tracks at Illinbah - we are just waiting on an access road to be finished from Saddleback to top forest entry. Keep an eye out on this forum and Gold Coast MTB Club Inc. Facebook and web page (www.gcmtb.com.au)

Thanks,

Harvey



From: TAYLOR Howard [mailto:HTAYLOR@goldcoast.qld.gov.au]
Sent: Friday, 25 February 2011 3:10 PM
To: Peter Hallinan; 'info@mtbcentre.com.au'
Cc: KRUEGER Scott; ABBOT Wayne
Subject: ILLEGAL DOWNHILL TRAIL - BONOGIN CONSERVATION AREA
Importance: High

Peter / Mark,
Staff from Council's Natural Area Management Unit have recently become aware of an illegal MTB Downhill trail within Bonogin Conservation Area, off Smith Road. Riders when questioned by Council officers advised that they were training for upcoming State Titles.

Please inform your members / customers as a matter of urgency that this trail will be decommissioned as of 28/2/11, therefore this trail will be unsafe to ride. The trail will be made unrideable and any efforts to reconstruct / realign will also suffer the same fate. Council staff will now undertake random patrols of the area with vehicle registration details being forwarded to Council's Local Law Unit for enforcement. Illegal access and damage to vegetation are a prohibited Offences under Section 10 & 16 of Local Law 9 with a maximum penalty of $5000.

Your immediate attention to this matter would be most appreciated, if you have any concerns regarding this matter please contact me to discuss.

Regards


Howard Taylor
Senior Ranger - Natural Areas
Community Services
for the Chief Executive Officer
Gold Coast City Council
Ph: (07) 5581 1532 Mob: 0414 180 605
Fax: (07) 5594 3562
PO Box 5042 Gold Coast Mail Centre Qld 9729
www.goldcoastcity.com.au

 

[RYDA]

Probably not the best/smartest thing that could be said... but that track was sick while it lasted.

When will the authorities learn that to curb the use / construction of illegal tracks they need to provide more than just "Bronwyn's DH."

 

[nic1894]

Probably not the best/smartest thing that could be said... but that track was sick while it lasted.

When will the authorities learn that to curb the use / construction of illegal tracks they need to provide more than just "Bronwyn's DH."

they really just dont care.... they will simply just keep on shutting them down

 

[Golf Pro]

Another one bites the dust...........

 

[Viv92]

RIP raddest track ever

 

[Oppy]

When will the authorities learn that to curb the use / construction of illegal tracks they need to provide more than just "Bronwyn's DH."

Chicken Egg you choose. When will DH riders learn to work with authorities to build track?

 

[RYDA]

Its easier and requires less effort to destroy something than it does to build it... from structures to social reputations.

 

[frenchman]

Chicken Egg you choose. When will DH riders learn to work with authorities to build track?

Lol oppy. Are you flattering yourself?

 

[Burrito_Boy]

Yeah... give anyone a chance and say hey come dig here on this day for legal downhill track action and i'm pretty sure you'd have half of the members on here come out and help.... pull your head out of your asses.

It all comes down to the 99.99% "green" influence in the local areas
People have been trying for years to get things legalised, and we all know what happens there.

Sweet Track... RIP.

(prepares for flaming)

 

[leadz]

Its a sad day for downhillers everywhere. i feel your pain i am heading up there in a few weeks to hit the trails. and that one was on my list not now thats one dh track less

 

[Oppy]

All
There will be plenty of opportunity shortly for riders to help reinstate the legal tracks at Illinbah

So how many people will be there for this then? Or are you all just talk.

 

[drivebytrucker]

how will they make it Unridable/unsafe to ride without causing local area damage?
suppose its ok for them to do it though. bonogin dump run fuck em all we should just ride them.

 

[shhhteve]

illinbah and kennilworth need to have more open days

 

[chewedchook]

"illinbah and kennilworth need to have more open days"


After all the rain we've had both tracks need lots of work to get back to a ride-able condition.... as do most tracks I imagine.
Kennilworth will be having working Bees in the near future,please refer to the Gravity web site or face-book for more info.
Cheers

 

[nic1894]

how will they make it Unridable/unsafe to ride without causing local area damage?
suppose its ok for them to do it though. bonogin dump run fuck em all we should just ride them.

if your keen to pay my five grand fine im in for that.. either way there not going to let us have legal tracks for a while, its a real shame we have so much riding talent up here in Queensland only if we could really get the chance to make the most of it.

 

[RYDA]

if your keen to pay my grand fine im in for that.. either way there not going to let us have legal tracks for a while, its a real shame we have so much riding talent up here in Queensland only if we could really get the chance to make the most of it.

Can you elaborate on your fine?

 

[nic1894]

Can you elaborate on your fine?

"Illegal access and damage to vegetation are a prohibited Offences under Section 10 & 16 of Local Law 9 with a maximum penalty of $5000."
they will take down your details and after a few people they will most probably follow it up.

 

[RYDA]

"Illegal access and damage to vegetation are a prohibited Offences under Section 10 & 16 of Local Law 9 with a maximum penalty of $5000."
they will take down your details and after a few people they will most probably follow it up.

Oh right, sorry I read it in a way which seemed you got smacked with a fine.

Ignore me...

 

[nic1894]

Oh right, sorry I read it in a way which seemed you got smacked with a fine.

Ignore me...

i assume you would get smacked with a fine after a while, the message seems pretty straight forward so i think they are being very serious about this.

 

[harveyp]

illinbah and kennilworth need to have more open days

And we will when the weather allows us to get access to the tracks however; there will be a lot of work to be done to get them back to running order and I just hope that you and the rest of the riders will be there to help do that! Understand that Illinbah is on Private Property and will only be available for organised Gold Coast MTB Club events meaning, NO private shuttles are permitted.