Say NO to Mountain Bike Trails In Mt Canobolas NPWS reserve!

As we are beginning to recognise Aboriginal peoples and heritage, I find it astounding a local council would make such a bad decision, not involving the local elders and protectors of this ancient land and community.

Note that a new Draft Plan of Management for the Conservation Area is calling for submissions by 1st Oct. Objections to further consideration of facilitating a mountain biking network within this already threatened and unique reserve need to be registered urgently.

The Mt Canobolas State Conservation Area is the only conservation reserve on volcanic soils in the Canobolas Volcanic Province, most of which has been cleared for agriculture, urban development and forestry. It is not unreasonable to leave this last tiny remnant undisturbed for the treasure trove of threatened biodiversity for which it is the last refuge on Earth.

Encourage mountain biking in areas where the impacts are low. This is a special place worth protecting for its unique conservation values and passive recreation. 65kms of trails will create a huge scar on this fragile landscape.

Special & unique place. It requires protection, not polluting & noisy destructive trail bikes & their humans. Trail bikers are not the only group of people - no reason to give them special access to a place enjoyed by people who enjoy all types of exercise & environments . Go somewhere else & leave this mountain in peace for all who go there to enjoy its beauty & unique life. Protect the mountain.

The ecology of this area is far too sensitive to allow such destructive impacts

There are many more suitable locations, please conserve the precious little biodiversity we have left.

I live on the edge of suburban edge of Orange close to the SCA, and feel very lucky to have this sub-Alpine refuge so close. It's really relaxing walking through the SCA. You don't get to keep the aesthetics and diversity values of nature reserves like this if you open them up to multiple paths. Mountain Biking (MTBing) is a very healthy pursuit and should be supported, but the evidence of the impact of excessive tracks and paths on diversity (including rare species and birds that use more dense natural bush) is unequivocal. So we should only MTB where the impacts are minor. The proposed MTB track density is very high even by MTB standards and covers much of the SCA, sub-alpine habitats are known to be more prone to biodiversity loss, there are known rare &/or endemic plant and animal species within the SCA (which usually means there's more if you look harder), it has a recognised threatened ecological community (lichens) and there are large swathes of weeds surrounding (and to some extent within) the SCA which will move in further if the easily erodable soils are exposed. Its not like there aren't other options for the MTB park, and so we can attract MTB tourists without stuffing up this reserve, and also keep attracting the local and regional bush-walking and natural history people (especially bird watchers) who are attracted to the SCA because of its current integrity.

I've lived only a few kilometres away all my life. This proposal is madness.

This is a CONSERVATION area. Protect this area from more impact.

Conservation of nature is more important than use of recreational vehicles in natural areas

Madness to let trail bikes ANYWHERE in my opinion. Not only the obvious damage it will do to the vegetation etc but also the animals. the extreme noise that these bikes make will upset all animals. Like Jet Ski's are the rats of the waterways I feel trial bikes are the scurge of our bushland and rural areas - they are pain in the A to all human and animals and should be restricted a hell of a lot more than they are at the moment.

Stay out of the parks with any sort of bike

This is lunacy, trail bikes are totally inappropriate in a nature reserve. There are plenty of clapped-out old cow farms for them to ride round in.

The ecological and social impacts of mountain bike riding are becoming increasingly obvious in national parks e.g. Kosciuszko. Conservation areas must prioritise the protection of nature. High impact recreation must take place on other land tenures. Cleared land is suitable for such recreation and, best practice planning could include revegetation of such areas to provide shade, rest areas.

No mountain bike tracks

in solidarity with the locals who know this part of the world and are concerned for its continued preservation

No need for this track. Leave the park in it’s natural state please - there are so few areas like this left

A mountain bike track has no place in a state conservation area, especially one which has the unique featrues of the Mount Canobolas State Conservation Area.

There are plenty of alternative less damaging options available