Please Direct ALL enquiries to Big Dave at the Bushrangers MTB Club
The strategic plan engagement workshop
- Are you interested in long-term tourism and recreation sustainability for the Sunshine Coast?
- Are you a landowner, land-manager, tourism operator, recreation or tourism industry operator or just passionate about recreation & trails?
- Do you want to see more accessibility for non- motorized recreation and tourism?
You are invited to participate in this initial public meeting of a Great Rides multi -use trail project.
This marks the beginning of a major recreational/tourism project to link together many of the hinterland trails into a connecting route from Beerburrum to Noosa/Toolara Forest
We want your voice and opinions about the concept prior to the feasibility study stage.
This is an engagement meeting for all stakeholders from managers of lands, to operators in the industry and advocates from the trails.
Attendance is open to any viable stakeholders within the tourism, sport, industry and recreation areas. Three sessions on Dec.7th at the Maroochy Botanic Gardens new Arts & Ecology Centre,please log onto our web site Bushrangers.org to ensure your attendance is booked for your preferred sessions.
RSVP to attend by Dec 1/11 at http://greatrides.bushrangers.org
This workshop has been made available thanks to the volunteer members of the Bushrangers Mt. Bike Club, the Gaming Machine Benefit Fund and Supporters - Andrew Powell MP
Member for Glass House, Peter Wellington MP Member for Nicklin, CR Vivien Griffin Div (9) Sunshine Coast Regional Council
Great Rides Project Goals
A human powered trail system connecting the Sunshine Coast from north to south, east to west through the melding of existing tracks & trails, easements, pathways for all non-motorized pursuits.
Primary objectives of this project;
- To ensure the wider community and visitor’s the opportunity to experience some “remoteness” the unique environments on our Coast, those special places that you would never be seen from a train, plane, bus or casino.
- To provide a vital “eco-tourism” project that provides attractors for a new type of active visitor. The world wide trend to active tourism is truly under developed in this region, as studies indicate.
- Ensure that the trail system is usable to a broad range of the community IE: multi –use were possible, handicapped and adaptive sport trail sections within the system, a trail grade of no more than 5% for 95% of the trail. Local connections (nodes) via a natural trail system utilizing some existing networks and easements/fire roads/reserves.
- Maintain an environmental and cultural ethos with research during the study phase and conservation maintenance of the environment during and after construction.
- The usage of the trail would not be restricted to single-use; it would be primarily non- motorized, with some exception for handicap access shuttles and maintenance services.
- Provide a safer alternative for off-road travel; International Mt. Bike Assoc. (I.M.B.A.) standard trails that are under the tree canopy for shade were possible, way-marked for ease of navigation.
- Ideally the trail project will provide business stimulus and local employment, contractors, staff training in a diverse range of areas from construction through to cultural interpretation...
- Ensure that trail heads of each section begin and finish within easy access of a village node (accommodation and hospitality).This could be a 5 day adventure for some, conversely day trips for others. A trail for every -body.
- Establish a management working group to manage and maintain the project during feasibility planning, construction, and into the future. Establish a Memorandum of Understanding MOU with stakeholders during this phase.
- Aim to be Eco-tourism certified within 6 months of the first trail phase opening /2012-13
- Build a “Social enterprise” from a single project.
