Bonogin (smith road) downhill track - closed permanently

[toodles]

Sucks this trail got closed. Most awesome trail I've ridden since I got back from Canada.

From my experiences with trying to negotiate with councils, private land is the best way forward. Councils don't know what to do with people who want to participate in a perceived high risk activity in an environmentally sensitive area. It falls in the too hard basket and so closing trails is the their easiest option. You can't blame them - we make things hard for ourselves in alot of ways.

My opinion? Get used to building new trails from time to time and try to prolong the lifespan of existing tracks by being as nondescript as possible. Some councils are open to petition (toowoomba for example) but many others will just shut shit down and avoid confronting the issue.

 

[Deadman]

Council and Nat Parks people read forums

If it was my job to manage bike tracks on either council land or National Parks, I'd be reading forums just like this. What I would be looking for is the attitude of the people commenting in the forums. Are these the people that I will have to confront one day or are these the people that I will have a positive discussion with. The SE Qld DH community has some maturing to do. Put forward ideas and solutions in these forums. Yes, we are unhappy with track closures but understand and appreciate why, and then move forward. A place to start is ask your council contact 3 simple questions -

1. Is the council prepared to work with us and provide land for a DH track?
2. How? (what are the conditions)
3. Where? (is there suitable land somewhere)

 

[drivebytrucker]

If it was my job to manage bike tracks on either council land or National Parks, I'd be reading forums just like this. What I would be looking for is the attitude of the people commenting in the forums. Are these the people that I will have to confront one day or are these the people that I will have a positive discussion with. The SE Qld DH community has some maturing to do. Put forward ideas and solutions in these forums. Yes, we are unhappy with track closures but understand and appreciate why, and then move forward. A place to start is ask your council contact 3 simple questions -

1. Is the council prepared to work with us and provide land for a DH track?
2. How? (what are the conditions)
3. Where? (is there suitable land somewhere)

ok deadmand, yes i can fly off the handle, but as you know mate from the pm's i sent you, i have talked with the rangers, sensibly, and the answer to the questions is;

1-NO
2-None
3-Not here

And quite simply alot of people dont understand why a track is being closed. for example if a parkie catches you hacking your way through virgin forest or plane, then yeah it would be understandable, but the most of these tracks have been there a long time, the damage is allready done. most people would understand if they reasoned and said, ok use the existing track, get caught or even if they find evidence of new tracks/lines being cut then watch out. but no its not even considerd by them.

my fear is that they will use the new park at the dam as the be all end all reason to close all the tracks, and as it appears there is no shuttle acces at the dam(apart from races) so it probably wont get the use it deserves from the people like me who only downhill, therefore if we all just roll over spread our asses and take it like good little boys the sport will suffer and die. if we continue to use trails dig more they can not ignore us, they arent really likely to charge anyone andif the do, well if a man can burn the australian flag and assualt several civilians and a police officer and only get $100.00 i anit that worried about the council taking me to court.

i agree with you totally deadman but at the same time i have to disagree.

rant over.
m

 

[JaRedy]

Drivebytrucker, I think you missed the essence of Deadman's post.
Be optimistic! Positive at the very least.
It is a long process, and as many guys have outlined, part of the inital stage is attitude towards council and their decisions. Be understanding, rational, persistant.

 

[frenchman]

Opptimistic? HAHAHAHAHA fuck that one is a keeper for the riders of Brisbane!

Fuck that for a joke.

It's been nearly a decade in Brisbane. The tag line of talk to your local council is way too old.

If you want the dh scene on the goldy to have the same fate as Brisbane then just keep sending those emails. In the meantime I'm going to dig some more trails.

 

[simplesimon76]

ah, Bonogin, you'll always have a piece of my heart. i'm 34 years old, and never broken a bone in my body, i did 3 sweet love'n laps, and on the easiest part of the track, just before the bridge, a vine cought my handle bar, ripped the bike out of my hand, and threw me to the ground before i even had the chance to say AAAAHHH BINOGIN!!, and broke my ring finger. Sweet Sweet memories, i look forward to the next track built like this, BRING IT ON!

 

[JaRedy]

Opptimistic?
Fuck that for a joke.

It's been nearly a decade in Brisbane. The tag line of talk to your local council is way too old.

If you want the dh scene on the goldy to have the same fate as Brisbane then just keep sending those emails. In the meantime I'm going to dig some more trails.

Better than being pessemistic. By optimistic I dont mean idealistic. What I was trying to crack at was just for people to not be doom and gloom.

 

[Oppy]

Nick from IMBA-Au has a nice catch phrase 'Relentless Optimism'. Negativity breeds negativity, it's the easy cope out. Getting legal downhill isn't be quick or easy. It has been done all over the world and guess what we have two great legal venues in SEQ Toowoomba and Mt Joyce. While these are great regional facilities there is a need for more local venues.
I remember a time when there were no legal cross country venues in SEQ.

 

[RYDA]

Mt Joyce. .

Isn't that place closed for public use?

I'm with the french on this one...

EDIT: Just sent off an email to the Moreton Bay Regional Council regarding downhill mountain biking in the area... wonder if they have anything on their plate for us?

 

[udi]

Negativity breeds negativity, it's the easy cope out. Getting legal downhill isn't be quick or easy.

I'll put this bluntly:
No one cares anymore Oppy.

The way I've experienced it over the last few years, people like frenchy getting out there with a shovel = DH runs for me, right here right now. If we have to dodge a few rangers and move a few logs, so be it. I'm sure plenty of quiet lurkers agree.

Let's face it - kids don't want to sit in meetings and lobby with councils, they just want to ride their pushbikes. I'm sure it's a bit different for oldies who enjoy things like horseriding and bushwalking, in fact the political battles probably add some much-needed excitement to what they do.

The fact of the matter is, people don't want legal downhill anymore. They just want downhill. When one trail gets shut down they will probably just build another.

 

[outtacontrol]

Getting legal downhill isn't be quick or easy. It has been done all over the world and guess what we have two great legal venues in SEQ Toowoomba and Mt Joyce.

Our track in Townsville is a great example of this. We were lucky enough to have a club member who was determined to achieve a legal track.

We now have a fully legal 6 minute run with bitumen shuttle, that we can build and maintain, while being safe in the knowledge that our hard work won't get bulldozed.

It isn't easy, but it can be done. It is easier to moan and build illegal trails, but that doesn't seem much of a way forward.

 

[RYDA]

Our track in Townsville is a great example of this.

How long was the period from the first "hey we want a dh track" to the finished product just out of curiosity?

 

[DeBloot]

i have nothing to do with this specific place
But have followed this with interest
And I absolutely agree with udi

Some people dig, some advocate, some do both
Work to your strengths, because each is as important as each other

But waiting around for councils/ parks to see reason is a loooong wait
In the meantime they have left us with no choice but to keep digging

Edit: @outtacontrol. I agree with you as well. But some councils seem way more progressive than others.

 

[Oppy]

Isn't that place closed for public use?

I'm with the french on this one...

EDIT: Just sent off an email to the Moreton Bay Regional Council regarding downhill mountain biking in the area... wonder if they have anything on their plate for us?

Clear Mountain is in Moreton Bay, there was an attempt to legalise it a few years ago. The council drew up some plans for it but there was no follow up by the downhill community so it didn't get anywhere.

 

[RYDA]

Clear Mountain is in Moreton Bay, there was an attempt to legalise it a few years ago. The council drew up some plans for it but there was no follow up by the downhill community so it didn't get anywhere.

Yeah, though it hasn't been dozed either. But I'm sure there are more than enough places to build a sweet DH track in the Samford area etc. I'll post their reply when I get it.

 

[drivebytrucker]

i dont want to sound too negative again in fear of bringing everyone else down around me, but, two legal tracks in SE Qld, one of which is miles away from me and is currently out of action, and the other which is miles away from me and without shuttle access. yes the skinnies will all shout " hey fatsdo push runs make you fitter" but would travel great distances to a "bike park" to do pushies?

the point is the LOCAL trail is what keeps the sport going, its your fave, its only 45 seconds long but its got that corner or that jump that only you nail out of all your mates.

Local is the way, go and search for these areas, i did, truck is loaded with tools see if you can find my new track. if you do you are more than welcome to it. if you cant, then well looks like its a long drive and some push runs.

 

[Oppy]

Does anyone want to add anything to this list of things that a DH track needs?

http://www.imba.com/resources/freeriding/fifteen-tips-building-excellent-downhill-trails


Local shuttle trails are definitly part of the solution to effectivly providing for downhill riding. While we have places like Illingbah and Mt Joyce are competition standard venues and only available to shuttle during comps and ride days and we have Xc type trails you can do push runs on there is no middle ground.

 

[frenchman]

Better than being pessemistic. By optimistic I dont mean idealistic. What I was trying to crack at was just for people to not be doom and gloom

Sorry. Let's try again.

Oppytimism. Get it?

Nick from IMBA-Au has a nice catch phrase 'Relentless Optimism'. Negativity breeds negativity, it's the easy cope out. Getting legal downhill isn't be quick or easy. It has been done all over the world and guess what we have two great legal venues in SEQ Toowoomba and Mt Joyce. While these are great regional facilities there is a need for more local venues.
I remember a time when there were no legal cross country venues in SEQ.

It's not negativity Oppy. DH riders in Brisbane have had enough of trying to jump through the hoops of the BCC. There are so many of us that don't have the time to continue negotiating with puppets. The greens are so far up the arse of the BCC if they sneezed we'd all cop it.

It's riding a bike downhill in the bush.

We've had the meetings, sent the emails there was even a fucking poll. Negotiating with council over a recreation that causes less damage than any motorised sport as well as horse riding to keep a few of your arse ticklers happy is a fucking joke. You wonder why downhill riders don't go out to gap creek / daisy hill to help with trail maintenance? Simple answer it's not downhill.

Oppy I'm sure you remember there when there no legal xc trails. But that didn't stop people from riding. I happen to remember when there were a whole network of downhill trails less than 15 minutes from the CBD

It's funny how the tables have turned now that you've left the BCC eh Oppy?

 

[toodles]

Does anyone want to add anything to this list of things that a DH track needs?

http://www.imba.com/resources/freeriding/fifteen-tips-building-excellent-downhill-trails.

I think the IMBA guidelines are plenty adequate.

It matters little however when a council elected to represent an electorate simply refuses to bother catering to what is considered a very small minority who are easily outnumbered by environmental lobby associations. It won't happen, it makes little sense that a council would risk upsetting the membership of the BCCG to satisfy a niche demographic, half of which can't even vote.

From my dealings with Council in the past and my attempts to do things the 'right' way, I came away with the feeling their system consists of wearing you down with mindless hoop jumping until you're exhausted enough to not react violently when your application is rejected out of hand.

Tracks on private property are the best bet for decent quality DH trails that will last. Otherwise, mourn the closure of one illegal trail whilst digging another one.

 

[Oppy]

Bonogin is Gold Coast City Council (GCCC), not Brisbane. The mountain bike/downhill community has an opportunity after the closure of the DH at Smith Road to engage positively with GCCC about downhill. They/we can chose to take the opportunity and see where it leads or we can choose to do nothing. This is about the legitimacy and future of downhill mountain bike riding as a recreation and a sport.