Anglesea riders peddle bigger bike park

PROPONENTS of the Anglesea Bike Park are keen to see it expand, saying the project overseeing the future of the town’s former mine could lead to it becoming bigger.

Anglesea Futures is producing a land-use scenario for the mine and power station, which includes the bike park located on Alcoa freehold land.

The land-use scenario discussion paper has the bike park in 19 hectares of land designated “North of Wilkins Street/Betleigh Street”, also taking in the Anglesea Primary School and an office of the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning.

Mike Bodsworth co-presented Anglesea Bike Park’s vision for the Anglesea Futures project at a community forum in June.

He described the bike park – which turned 10 in 2016 – last week as “the heart and soul of Anglesea’s vibrant mountain-biking scene”, but said its future was not guaranteed.

“As yet, Alcoa’s plans aren’t clear, but what is clear is that their disposal of the ‘Bike Park Block’ offers a one-off opportunity to bring the land into public ownership as parkland, to deliver ongoing social and environmental benefits.

“We can save the bike park and create around it a world class network of recreational trails on disturbed land vacated by Alcoa, fostering a happy and healthy community, reducing recreational pressure on more sensitive bushland and boosting the local economy.”

He encouraged locals and visitors to find out more and get involved by searching Anglesea Futures and Surfcoast Trail Group online, following Anglesea Bike Park on Facebook or emailing [email protected].