Ocean Grove set for nation-leading bike park

A new ride park is fast taking shape in Ocean Grove, with designers touting it as “the best of its kind in Australia”.

The Ocean Grove District Ride Centre at Kingston Park is one track to be completed mid-year.

Construction is well advanced on site, where a network of pump tracks, jumps and flowing trail lines is now clearly defined.

Separate lines have been designed to cater for riders of different ages and abilities, from beginners through to more experienced users.

The project has been several years in the making and follows sustained demand from local riders for a dedicated facility.

The works are led by mountain bike trail design and construction company World Trail.

World Trail consultant Hamish McCallum-Smith said locals had been closely following the progress of the build.

“Since the pandemic there had been a lot of local children building unsanctioned tracks, so they’ve been really craving a facility like this,” he said.

“Every day we’ve had children circling around the site asking us about when they can come in, so I think it’s going to met with real enthusiasm when it opens.”

More than 14,000 tonnes of recycled crushed concrete from the former Alcoa Point Henry site have been used to form the track base.

The concrete, which passed multiple safety tests before its for reuse, was diverted from landfill and has reduced project costs.

World Trail director Dylan Jeffries said the build was entering its final stages.

“We are so proud to see our thousands of hours of work get close to completion,” he said.

“It’s a really exciting time for us, and the feedback from our professional riders who have tested it is amazing.”

The City of Greater Geelong has invested more than $3.5 million towards the project.

Alistair Bain, the city’s urban design and place manager, said the site had been shaped through community input over a number of years.

“It’s been a real long term project for us since the pandemic, and this site is just perfect in lending itself to what we were after,” he said.

“We had an amazing community reference group who helped us design it, and fantastic consultation with local people over a long period of time.

“We’ve really intended to cater to that appetite from the community, and this facility is something that suits riders of all levels.”