Federal funding granted for Beechworth to Yackandandah Epic Trail

Lanceyobbo

Cannon Fodder
Hi everyone, below is the press release from Indigo Shire, hopefully within a couple of years we'll have another good reason for you all to visit Beechworth and Yack!

Million-Dollar Boost for Epic Mountain Bike Trail
Published on 04 March 2019
Beechworth-Yack-proposed-RTMTB-route-final.jpg

Indigo Shire will be home to the Southern Hemisphere’s only all-seasons Epic standard mountain bike trail thanks to a grant from the Federal Government’s Building Better Regions Fund announced today.
Indigo Shire Mayor Bernard Gaffney welcomed the $1 million grant, which will allow the construction of the Beechworth to Yackandandah Epic Mountain Bike Trail.
“We are thrilled to receive this grant and I thank the Federal Government, in particular Senator Bridget McKenzie,” said Cr Gaffney.
“The Beechworth to Yackandandah Epic Mountain Bike Trail will be the only all-season epic standard mountain bike trail in the Southern Hemisphere. We have always prided ourselves as a premier cycle destination and now we will really be on the world stage.
“An Epic trail recognised by the International Mountain Bike Association as the world-class standard – completing an Epic trail is like a badge of honour for mountain bikers.
“The new trail will attract mountain bikers from around the world and, with them, many economic benefits for the Shire.
“We expect the trail will bring 12,500 visitors to North East Victoria. It will create 34 FTE jobs and inject $5.18 million in direct and indirect expenditure in North East Victoria.
“Mountain biking is also a great low-cost activity for people of all ages to stay active and explore the great outdoors – something we have no shortage of in Indigo Shire.
“With construction also underway on the extension of the Murray to Mountains Rail Trail from Beechworth to Yackandandah, we will soon have two amazing and very different cycling experiences between these key tourism towns. It will create a truly world class cycling destination.”
Indigo Shire Council voted to support the Building Better Regions Fund grant application at the October 2018 Council meeting. The total project cost will be $2 million and Council has made a budget commitment of $1 million over three years to match the grant funding.
 

rowdyflat

chez le médecin
Yeah its using some of the existing Yack mtbike tracks + certain areas previously "out of bounds "[ due to being a State Park] I am told .
1 way track shaped like a helix or the ABC logo.
Gotta love the consultants' projections/predictions = 34 FTE $5.18 M !!
It will prolly be built before the "Rail Trail " from Beechworth to Yackandandah .
The rate the Railtrail is moving I may not get to ride it before I die.
 

rowdyflat

chez le médecin
There will be a fair amount of elevation change cos Beechworth is at 550 m asl the high point via the bush is about 700m + Yack is at 300m and its all v hilly.
Could be > 60 km long no idea yet . As I said its suppose to be a one way helix with 2 crossing points .
 

nzhumpy

Googlemeister who likes bikes and scandal
I was lucky enough to ride through these parts the last few days and got a pretty good indication of what's being proposed, it's got to be at least 44 kms to be considered an epic and it's going to hurt the the legs on the ups but you'll get well and truly rewarded when things point down.
 
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