Off-road cyclists will soon have more spaces to explore as plans to create new biking tracks and off-road facilities across Brisbane, including several locations within the Pullenvale Ward, have been released.
Council unveiled the Brisbane Off-Road Cycling Strategy in December 2021 to meet the needs of a rapidly growing community of cyclists. Aiming to deliver “a safe, well-planned and connected network of facilities that protect Brisbane’s natural environment,” inputs for this strategy were gathered following community consultations since 2109.
These consultations included outdoor and cycling groups or clubs, park visitors, bushwalkers and runners, community conservation and environment groups, schools, cycling trainers and coaches, residents, as well as the Queensland Government. About 89 percent of the respondents expressed their support for more off-road cycling facilities.
According to Cr Greg Adermann, a number of spaces around Pullenvale Ward have been considered as potential off-road cycling areas:
- Mount Coot-tha
- the old Creek Reserve at Brookfield
- John Sprent Reserve and Priors Pocket Road Park at Moggill
- Platypus Park and Marstaeller Road Reserve at Mount Crosby
- Changing Mountain Bushland
- Dandy’s Road Bushland
- Kholo Bushland Reserve
- Shelley Road Park, Kholo
- Primley Street Park, Pullenvale
- Tuckett Street Park, Kenmore Hills
Per Council, the locations will be further studied “in the next five years and are subject to further detailed design, budget and environmental assessment.”
Off-road cycling sites will cover four types:
- a leisurely family bicycle ride along a trail or track
- a more technically challenging mountain bike ride with obstacles and climbing
- a session with the kids at a pump track, skills track, or dirt jumps
- participation by people of all ages and abilities in mountain bike riding, gravel riding, or in a cyclo-cross race
Also in contention for implementation are:
- technological advancements such as e-bikes, web-based systems and apps such as Strava and user generated content such as Trailforks
- growing demand for individualised, unstructured recreation
- preferences for screen time over nature time resulting in ‘nature deficit’, particularly in young people
- opportunities for off-road cycling to be used as a tool to engage wider sectors of the community to stimulate interest in active lifestyles, stewardship of bushland reserves or wider social inclusion
“This strategy balances conservation of the natural environment with opportunities for people of different ages and abilities to enjoy Brisbane’s unique parks and natural areas,” Council stated.
