HARCOURT MOUNTAIN(BIKE(PARK%MASTER PLAN · proposed mountain bike and road cycling tracks...

HARCOURT MOUNTAIN BIKE PARK MASTER PLAN

PREPARED BY WORLD TRAIL PTY LTD

FOR GOLDFIELDS TOURISM INC.

MAY 2014

Harcourt Mountain Bike Park Master Plan World Trail Pty Ltd

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Disclaimer: This document, Harcourt Mountain Bike Park Master Plan, has been prepared by World Trail Pty Ltd for Goldfields Tourism Inc. This document is the work of World Trail and does not necessarily reflect the final views or opinions of all of the stakeholders.

Primary Author: Gerard McHugh Contributing Authors: Grant Suckling Field Research: Gerard McHugh, Grant Suckling, Pete Walsh and Glen Jacobs Photography: Pete Walsh Document Name: Harcourt Mountain Bike Park Master Plan Document Version: Final Release Date: 13th May 2014


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CONTENTS

1 INTRODUCTION 1

2 BACKGROUND 2

3 SITE DESCRIPTION 5

4 METHODOLOGY 10 4.1 CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT 11 4.2 GROUND-‐TRUTHING 12

5 TRAILHEAD LOCATION, INFRASTRUCTURE AND DESIGN 13 5.1 TRAILHEAD LOCATION 14 5.2 TRAILHEAD INFRASTRUCTURE 16 5.3 TRAILHEAD LAYOUT 17

6 MANAGEMENT ACCESS AND ROAD CLOSURE 18

7 PROPOSED TRAIL NETWORK LAYOUT 20

8 TRAIL DESCRIPTIONS 22 8.1 TRAIL 1 22 8.2 TRAIL 2 24 8.3 TRAIL 3 26 8.4 TRAIL 4 29 8.5 TRAIL 5 31 8.6 TRAIL 6 33 8.7 TRAIL 7 35 8.8 TRAIL 8 37 8.9 TRAIL 9 39 8.10 TRAIL 10 41 8.11 TRAIL 11 43 8.12 TRAIL 12 45 8.13 TRAIL 13 47 8.14 TRAIL 14 49 8.15 TRAIL 15 51 8.16 TRAIL 16 53 8.17 ROUNDABOUT 1 55 8.18 ROUNDABOUT 2 57 8.19 ENTIRE LOOP 59

9 TRAIL CONSTRUCTION GUIDELINES 61

10 TRAIL MAINTENANCE 62


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11 SIGNAGE 65 11.1 TRAILHEAD SIGNS 66 11.2 DECISION POINT SIGNS 67 11.3 WAYMARKERS 69 11.4 ESTIMATED SIGNAGE QUANTITIES 71

12 CONSTRUCTION COST ESTIMATE 72

13 CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE 75

14 SUMMARY 76

15 APPENDICES 77 15.1 IMBA TRAIL DIFFICULTY RATING SYSTEM 77 15.2 WORLD TRAIL CONTACT DETAILS 79


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1 INTRODUCTION On the 29th August 2013, World Trail representative, Mr Grant Suckling, visited Harcourt and met with Goldfields Tourism Incorporated (GTI) member, Mr Andrew Bos to discuss the development of mountain biking trails on a parcel of land adjacent to Mt Alexander Regional Park in Harcourt, Victoria, currently managed by Hancock Victorian Plantations (HVP). A Project Steering Committee has been established, operating under the auspices of GTI and includes a range of stakeholders. The purpose of this visit was to discuss the proposed future development of a mountain bike trail network on the site and to assess the site. Specifically, assessment of the site included consideration of: 1. The suitability of the site’s terrain, soils and existing natural features; 2. The maximum length trail network that the site could accommodate; 3. The suitability of the proposed trailhead location; 4. The site’s proximity to Harcourt and necessary tourism services. Following this initial site visit, World Trail prepared a proposal to undertake the development of a formal Harcourt Mountain Bike Master Plan (HMBMP). This proposal included pricing and a proposed methodology. Based on this proposal, and those submitted by other contractors, GTI was able to obtain government funding to undertake the HMBMP, and on the 14th of January 2014, World Trail were formally invited to make a submission to undertake the works. After being awarded the contract to undertake the HMBMP, World Trail commenced field assessments in Harcourt on Thursday 27th February. This report presents the findings of the fieldwork and presents the master plan for a network of mountain biking trails at Harcourt.


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2 BACKGROUND The following words were taken from the project brief put together by GTI and provide the vision, background, objectives and outputs of the project.

Vision To build an international standard mountain bike park (MBP) on the western slopes of Mount Alexander, near Harcourt, that enhances the ecological and amenity values of a former pine plantation, encourages sustainable recreational and economic activities and supports the Goldfields Track as a spine for cycling tourism in the Goldfields Region.

Background The creation of the Harcourt Mountain Bike Park (MBP) will provide economic stimulus to the township of Harcourt and surrounds, as well as being a cycling drawcard for Victoria. The MBP has a central location and proximity to Melbourne and major transport connections - Calder Freeway and Melbourne-Bendigo railway. The MBP will increase visitation to Harcourt and surrounding towns and villages. It is expected that mountain bike visitation will stimulate new business opportunities (accommodation and food provision, complimentary cycle businesses such as tours, events, sales and hire services) and strengthen the existing complimentary businesses (wineries and cideries, hotel, service station, general store). The site is a former pine plantation on crown land currently undergoing environmental remediation. It has good access, and possesses the terrain, views and experiences that are ‘must haves’ for mountain bikers. The project fits into a larger vision of Goldfields Tourism Incorporated, to work with a range of other local interest groups, government agencies and associations to develop Ride Goldfields, a regional initiative using the Goldfields Track as a spine connecting existing or proposed mountain bike and road cycling tracks throughout the greater Goldfields region. The MBP is a perfect fit with current tourism research that shows: • Mountain biking is a significant growth area, an activity now firmly mainstream and

growing; • Increasing demand for mountain bike trails and more infrastructure and destination

development; • Recreational and sporting mountain biking encourages visits, longer stays, and more

spending; • Quality mountain bike destinations (e.g. You Yangs and Mt Buller) create commercial

based businesses; • Opportunities to promote a recreation/sporting experience alongside other local

products. Project Steering Committee Goldfields Tourism Incorporated (GTI) is the driving force behind the Goldfields Track and its significant redevelopment (via a TQUAL1 Grant) in 2010/11.

1 TQUAL is a Federal Government tourism grant.


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The GTI committee is a skills-based Association with a long and successful history of driving and developing projects to benefit tourism and the local community. Committee membership is from two local government areas, relevant interest groups, the tourism industry, Heritage Victoria, Parks Victoria and DEPI. Goldfields Tourism Incorporated will form a project steering committee comprising members from: • Goldfields Tourism Incorporated; • Mount Alexander Shire Council; • City of Greater Bendigo; • Parks Victoria (adjoining land manager); • DEPI (land owner); • Harcourt Mountain Bike Park: Brief - Track Design 2; • Hancock Plantations Victoria (current lease holder); • Harcourt Progress Group; • Harcourt Valley Landcare Group/Connecting Country; • Mount Alexander Sustainability Group; • Castlemaine Rocky Riders Mountain Bike Club; • Bendigo Mountain Bike Club. In the interim the steering committee will be chaired by the GTI Chairman, and receive secretarial support from the GTI Project Manager.

Project Objective Construction of an International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) standard track network, which fits into the landscape and geology of Mount Alexander. The intention is to provide: • Approximately 30kms of tracks comprising a network of Green (easy/beginner), new

Blue (intermediate) trails extending out from the Green trails; and new Black (experienced) trails extending from the Blue trails to the furthest parts of the site;

• Car park/entry point to trail network and to Oaks Picnic Area; • A skills course to include technical trail features such as (but not limited to) drop offs,

step-ups, rollovers, tabletops, a rock garden, balance beams, see-saws, etc. Brief Task Aim To produce the Harcourt Mountain Bike Park Master Plan (Master Plan) that will enable the development of contract documentation for construction of the track network, skills course and supporting areas. The successful contractor (contractor) will be expected to work closely with the steering committee and a local consultant who will be engaged to do consultation in respect to economic and tourism benefits, and identifying and resolving any issues with planning approvals, track ownership, and management. This work will be included in the Master Plan. The contractor will be expected to: • Ensure the quality, suitability and sustainability of the track network; • Create a ‘point of difference’ to similar mountain bike parks/track networks in Victoria; • Produce a document to assist Goldfields Tourism Inc. to seek government funding to

construct the mountain bike park.


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Brief Task Output The contractor will produce a Master Plan that documents: • Outcomes of project research; • Ongoing sustainability management and asset renewal suggestions; • Construction details (to tender ready), including the following specifics:

o Developing concept, ground truthing, track alignment/route marking, specific infrastructure requirements and engineering implementation plans;

o Assessment of existing environmental condition to compliment track location and construction;

o Definitive trail lines on the ground and prescriptive trail plans and costings; • Sustainable management and asset renewal information.


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3 SITE DESCRIPTION The following information, taken from the GTI project brief, describes the location and history of the site:

Project Location The pine plantation, currently under the stewardship of Hancock Plantations Victoria is located on the western flank of Mount Alexander near Harcourt. Established after WW1, it has been completely logged, and is due to be handed back to the Crown on 1 January 2015. The MBP will be built on 500 acres that would benefit from long-term Landcare activities.

The study site is shown in Figure 1 below. Figure 1. Study site for the Harcourt Mountain Bike Park


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The site is currently managed under lease by HVP, although all logging operations ceased some time ago. At the end of their lease on the 1st January 2015, the land will revert to Crown Land. Options for the ongoing management of the site following the conclusion of HVP’s lease are currently being explored. To the east of the site lies Mt Alexander Regional Park and Mt Alexander itself, the summit of which is approximately 746m above sea level. The study area for the HMBPMP is located on the western foothill slopes of Mt Alexander. The primary access point to the site is via Market Street, Harcourt. To reach the site from Harcourt, turn off Harcourt’s main street (Calder Highway) and travel east on Market Street. After approximately 1.4km Market Street curves 90 degrees to the left, becoming Reservoir Road. Continue straight ahead uphill on Picnic Gully Rd, an unsealed road, for a further 800m to the entrance to the site. The site is characterised by two main elevated points, one to the north (referred to as ‘Saunders’ on some maps) and another to the south (referred to as ‘South Peak’ on some maps). The southern peak (545m above sea level) is slightly higher than the northern peak (520m above sea level). The proposed trailhead sits midway between these two points, creating two distinctive options for a northern and a southern network of trails. The lowest point within the site is approximately 400m above sea level, creating a total usable vertical elevation of approximately 145m. The existing vegetation is a mosaic of forested and open grassy areas and appears to be a mix of native end exotic species (mainly Pinus radiata regrowth from the former forestry usage and dense infestations of Rubus fruticosus [blackberry]). Soils appear to be good for trail building, with moderate amounts of clay offering good plasticity and cohesion. Outcrops, boulders and large slabs of rock were commonplace throughout the site, providing excellent features for mountain biking and reflecting the former use of the site for the quarrying of granite. There is a network of existing fire roads throughout the site, in varying condition. None of these fire roads are gated or blocked off, and usage by four-wheel drive and motorbikes appears to be reasonably common. There are also a number of small dams on the site, many of which were empty at the time of fieldwork. There is a popular visitor area in the centre of the site, known as the Oaks. It is an informal picnicking and camping area, characterised by a plantation of Oak trees, with walking trails meandering throughout the plantation. While it is a popular visitor area, there is no formal visitor infrastructure in place, including formalised car parking, rubbish bins, toilets or water access. Figure 2 - Figure 7 on the following pages show different aspects and views of the site. These photographs were taken during the initial site visit during August 2013 and subsequent ground-truthing fieldwork during April 2014


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Figure 2. Site Photograph 1



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4 METHODOLOGY The following methodology was used to complete this project: 1. Inception Meeting and Site Familiarization – World Trail met with the Project Steering Committee

on Friday 28th February 2014. At this meeting, the project aims and objectives, methodology, timing and other details were discussed. A site familiarization was then undertaken by World Trail personnel, including familiarization with access roads, gates, points of interest and other features of the study site. Two ‘no-go zones’ (i.e. areas that should be avoided by the proposed trail network) were identified by the Project Steering Committee – the Oaks visitor area and a small area where indigenous artefacts have been found2. The Project Steering Committee advised that this area should not be impacted by the proposed development of trails;

2. Concept Development Fieldwork – After completing the site familiarization World Trail personnel spent 1-2 days exploring the site and looking at and assessing different potential conceptual layouts. This is the key step in the development of an interesting and exciting trail network, as it is during this step that any key features for inclusion in the proposed trail network are identified. Such features may include things like lookouts, old quarries, water features, rock formations, or even existing sections of trail. Any such features that were identified at this stage were mapped with a GPS and photographed, to act as reference points for the concept design;

3. Concept Development – Once back in the office, the concepts and ideas explored during fieldwork were further refined and developed into a full concept design. The conceptual design includes:

a. An overall map, showing the trailhead and all the proposed trails; b. The proposed trail difficulty rating of each trail; c. The estimated length of each trail; d. Location of any infrastructure and access points.

Further notes are provided on the next page about the concept development stage. 4. Concept Approval – Once complete, the concept design was provided to the GTI Project

Manager for review and approval. This concept design was then forwarded on to the Project Steering Committee for discussion and review. Feedback was provided to World Trail and the concept design was amended accordingly and then sent back to the GTI Project Manager for final approval prior to ground-truthing;

5. Ground-truthing – With a concept design in place, World Trail returned to the site on Tuesday 8th April 2014 to commence ground-truthing the final alignments of the proposed trail network. Ground-truthing is the process of determining, mapping and marking the exact and final alignment of a trail. Some further notes about ground-truthing are provided in the following pages;

6. Report Writing – With ground-truthing complete, the exact position, length and elevation profile of every trail is known, enabling the draft report to be produced;

7. Delivery of Draft Report – The report was produced in draft format and delivered to the GTI Project Manager for review and feedback;

8. Delivery of Final Report – Upon receipt of feedback from the GTI Project Manager, the report will be amended as required and the final report produced.

2 To protect any remaining artefacts or cultural values, this area has not been shown or identified in this report and has been deliberately avoided by the proposed trail network.


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4.1 CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT

The bulk of the design of the trail network takes place during the Concept Development stage. In developing the concept design for the proposed trail network, the following criteria were considered and incorporated into the overall design: • All trails should be given a trail difficulty rating. World Trail generally recommend and use the

International Mountain Bicycling Association’s (IMBA) Trail Difficulty Rating System, which is provided in full in the Appendix;

• The easiest trails should be located near the trailhead, with increasingly harder trails located further from the trailhead. This is a basic risk management technique to prevent inexperienced riders accidentally ending up on very difficult trails;

• All trails should be designed to be ridden in one-direction only. This criterion is essential for risk management (prevention of head-on collisions) and to ensure a good visitor experience. The only exceptions to this rule are wide, flat trails that provide long forward sight-lines – fire roads, rail trails etc. which can be safely used in both directions;

• The entire trail system should be easy to navigate and intuitive, with all trails offered as loops, and generally following the same overall direction of travel;

• It should ideally be possible to ride one lap of the entire trail network, without backtracking, without crossing over any trails and without missing any large sections of trail. This criterion assists in creating an easy-to-navigate trail network, but more importantly, facilitates event usage as it offers the ultimate useability for events without the need for race marshals at crossover points;

• The trail network should be sympathetic to the terrain and topography, without trying to squeeze a large network of trails into a small space;

• The trail network should maximise the use of any existing trails (if they provide the right experience and are sustainable). This criterion ensures good value for money by preventing unnecessary trail construction;

• All new sections of trail should be designed according to modern, best-practice guidelines for sustainable trail construction. During the Master Planning stages, this basically means ensuring that any trails are designed within the gradient parameters as specified by the IMBA Trail Difficulty Rating System and that any areas of high environmental sensitivity are avoided.


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4.2 GROUND-TRUTHING

In relation to ground-truthing, the following protocols should be understood: • All the trails proposed in the preferred concept design will be ground-truthed. Their alignments

will be marked in the field and recorded as a ‘track log’ using a handheld GPS. The track logs will be made available to the GTI Project Manager in standard .gpx or .kml formats. World Trail does have some ability to provide some other file formats that are used by popular GIS packages;

• World Trail’s normal practice is to mark the alignment for any new trails by tying small strips of brightly coloured (generally orange or pink) flagging tape to trees/shrubs along the trail alignment according to the following protocols:

o The flagging tape indicates roughly the middle of the proposed trail alignment; o Generally, each flagging tape should be visible from the next/previous one, but this

should not always be relied on as they can be removed by weather/animals; o In thick vegetation, flagging tape should be placed more frequently. Where the trail

follows an existing road, flagging may be placed less frequently; o Where the trail performs a sharp turn or switchback, three pieces of tape tied around a

single trunk or branch are generally used to indicate the apex of the turn; • Switchbacks are often used in close succession to each other to help a trail climb up or descend

a steep slope. In these situations, there can be multiple ‘legs’ of the trail running roughly parallel to each other.

Anyone attempting to follow a proposed new trail alignment (prior to construction that is) should not rely solely on the flagging tape, as it can be removed, fall off, become faded, be difficult to see or be confusing to follow (especially where there may be multiple switchbacks in succession). Ideally, it is advised to have a physical, hard copy printed map showing the trail alignments, and a GPS with the track log loaded onto it.


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5 TRAILHEAD LOCATION, INFRASTRUCTURE AND DESIGN A trailhead serves many purposes: 1. It is the starting and finishing point for all non-local riders. As such it is the place where friends

will meet to begin their ride and where they socialise afterwards. It is also a location that can be signposted or advertised so that travelling mountain bikers can find it easily;

2. It is the key information point about the trails. Signage must adequately convey all the necessary safety and risk information about the trails, but also provide enough guidance that riders can plan their ride before leaving the trailhead;

3. It should provide the essential pre-ride needs of mountain bikers – water, toilets, information and car parking. In addition however, it should encourage positive social use of the site. Many riders will have non-riding companions who may want to wait at the trailhead, so the trailhead should be an enjoyable place to wait, which means considering additional infrastructure such as seating, shelters, landscaping etc.;

4. It should be a safe place to leave a vehicle while riding.


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5.1 TRAILHEAD LOCATION

The location for the trailhead is a critical factor in the overall success of this project. Three possible locations were identified for the mountain biking trailhead in the proposed Harcourt Mountain Bike Park. These are shown in Figure 8 below. Figure 8. Possible Trailhead Locations

While Trailhead Location 1 appears to offer more advantages than either Trailhead Location 2 or Trailhead Location 3, it is not the preferred location. The main reason for this is that there are substantial community concerns about the potential conflict between walkers/campers and mountain bikers, if the Oaks was to be used as the main trailhead for the entire park. Trailhead Location 2 and Trailhead Location 3 on the other hand, have no existing uses or potential for conflict. Trailhead Location 2 is not supported by World Trail. It is a narrow site, constrained by topography, with reasonably dense native vegetation and a large concrete water pipe passing through the middle of the site. Table 1Table 1 on the next page outlines the advantages and disadvantages of these different locations for use as a trailhead.


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While Trailhead Location 1 appears to offer more advantages than either Trailhead Location 2 or Trailhead Location 3, it is not the preferred location. The main reason for this is that there are substantial community concerns about the potential conflict between walkers/campers and mountain bikers, if the Oaks was to be used as the main trailhead for the entire park. Trailhead Location 2 and Trailhead Location 3 on the other hand, have no existing uses or potential for conflict. Trailhead Location 2 is not supported by World Trail. It is a narrow site, constrained by topography, with reasonably dense native vegetation and a large concrete water pipe passing through the middle of the site. Table 1. Advantages and disadvantages of possible trailhead sites

Location Advantages Disadvantages Trailhead Location 1 – The Oaks visitor area

• Existing visitor area; • Wide, cleared area, large enough

to accommodate a reasonable quantity of vehicles (no structured parking, camping areas currently);

• Existing access road in good condition;

• Cost efficiencies of creating one, large central trailhead, servicing the existing users and the proposed new mountain bike users;

• Centrally located in the middle of the site;

• Mostly flat; • Shady, nice amenity.

• Concerns that the current uses (passive recreation, walking and camping) may not be compatible with mountain biking;

• Concerns that mountain bikers may ride on the informal walking trails through the Oak plantation.

Trailhead Location 2 – South of main entry point, near disused quarry

• Not currently used for any purpose, so no chance of conflict with existing users;

• Very close to entry into park and close to Harcourt;

• Close to disused quarry, which offers interesting terrain for trails.

• Site will need to be cleared of vegetation;

• Some mountain bike users may still choose to park (or camp) at the Oaks;

• Moderately sloping site; • Narrow footprint; • Large concrete water pipe

passing through middle of site. This water pipe connects functioning water races.

Trailhead Location 3 – Northeast of main entry point

• Not currently used for any purpose, so no chance of conflict with existing users;

• Very close to entry into park and close to Harcourt;

• Wide, flat area; • Minimal native vegetation.

• Some vegetation clearing will be required.

Trailhead Location 3, which is located very close to Trailhead Location 2, is therefore the most preferred site. It is very close to the main entry into the park, is largely flat and cleared, and is still very close to Trailhead Location 2. A fourth alternative that was suggested as a possible trailhead location, is an access point at the northern end of the study site, off Coopers Rd. World Trail does not support it as a possible trailhead location – it is further away from Harcourt and very close to a private residence. This


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alternate access point is important and useful however – it could be an important emergency access to the trails in the northern extents of the park and may also be useful for ‘back-of-house’ access into the trail network during events.


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5.2 TRAILHEAD INFRASTRUCTURE

In order to fulfil its various functions and roles, a trailhead needs infrastructure. The nature and extent of the infrastructure depends largely on the available budget, but there are certain items that must be included at a trailhead. In a survey of approximately 1300 mostly Victorian mountain bikers in 2013, World Trail asked what facilities and infrastructure should be present at a mountain bike trailhead. The responses are provided below, ranked in priority order: 1. Car parking (96.38% of respondents selected this option) 2. Maps (86.11% of respondents selected this option) 3. Toilets (80.98% of respondents selected this option) 4. Drinking water (72.14% of respondents selected this option) 5. Picnic tables (46.97% of respondents selected this option) 6. Shelter (45.03% of respondents selected this option) 7. Notice board (42.51% of respondents selected this option) 8. BBQ (32.74% of respondents selected this option) 9. Café (28.28% of respondents selected this option) 10. Bike wash facilities (16.75% of respondents selected this option) 11. Local business advertisements (16.50% of respondents selected this option) 12. Bike shop (14.81% of respondents selected this option) 13. Bike racks: (12.04% of respondents selected this option) 14. Change room (7.24% of respondents selected this option) 15. Shower (5.05% of respondents selected this option) Based on the survey results, items 1-4 should be considered essential, items 5-8 preferred and items 9-15 as optional.


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5.3 TRAILHEAD LAYOUT

Figure 9 below shows a conceptual layout for the trailhead and car park at the Harcourt Mountain Bike Park based on trailhead location 3 identified in Chapter 5.1. This layout provides sufficient parking space for approximately 60-70 cars (based on an average car park size of 6m x 2.8m). This is deemed to provide sufficient car parking for most day-to-day recreational usage. Figure 9. Possible Trailhead Layout

This figure doesn’t show the location of individual infrastructure elements like shelters, toilets, etc. The location and design of such items will need to be determined by qualified practitioners (landscape architects, engineers, planners etc.). The primary purpose in preparing this possible trailhead layout design was to determine how much space might be required for the car park. It does not take into account relevant engineering standards for roading, car parking and so on. Finally, the proposed trailhead location and layout is designed for recreational usage rather than large competitive events. Given the relatively compact size of the study site, there is simply not sufficient space to accommodate a large event space within its boundaries. Instead, large competitive events could be set-up on adjacent private property (mostly cleared grazing paddocks) to the west, assuming local land owners were amenable to such events taking place. Car parking, staging (i.e. start/finish) areas, camping (if relevant), retail (food, bike equipment etc.), portable toilets and water supply would all be located on private property, while the actual trails within the Harcourt Mountain Bike Park would still form the vast majority of the race course.

car parking bays

driveway

trailhead


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6 MANAGEMENT ACCESS AND ROAD CLOSURE The study site has a network of existing management vehicle tracks. Most of these management vehicle tracks are the legacy of the former uses, such as timber harvesting and quarrying. Some of the tracks connect into the adjacent Mt Alexander Regional Park, while others appear to provide access to neighbouring private property3. It is not clear whether these management vehicles tracks are officially open for usage currently by the public – HVP signage on some tracks prohibit access, but there are otherwise no barriers or gates to prevent access. Regardless of legality, there appears to be a moderate level of usage by four-wheel drives and motorbikes. Indeed, several four-wheel drives were observed using the management vehicle track network during fieldwork, and signs of usage by motorbikes and four-wheel drives (i.e. tyre marks, erosion ruts, mud holes etc.) was frequently observed throughout the study site. If Harcourt is to be successful as a mountain biking destination, World Trail strongly recommends closing these trails to unauthorised vehicular usage by the general public. The reasons for this are: • The proposed mountain biking trail network will frequently cross-over and/or use the existing

management vehicle tracks in places. Safe usage by mountain bikers is not compatible with continued usage of the management vehicle tracks by public vehicles (i.e. motorbikes and four-wheel drives);

• The current unrestricted usage is having a detrimental impact on the natural environment within the study site with signs of four-wheel drive and motor bike damage evident beyond existing roads;

• Although mountain bike trails are not generally attractive to motorbike riders (due to their tighter corners and more technical terrain), motorbikes can cause significant damage to mountain bike trails. Furthermore, damage caused by motorbikes can extend beyond the mountain bike trails throughout the entire park, creating not only damage, but also serious safety concerns due to the potential for collision with other users.

In practice, this simply means that the management vehicle tracks are to be closed off by the addition of gates at key entry locations into the study site. The land manager would retain keys to these gates, allowing access by management vehicles, but otherwise restricting vehicle access for the general public. Figure 10 and Figure 11 on the next page show the locations where gates would be required. In total, five gates will be required to prevent public vehicular access. Note that public vehicular access to the Oaks visitor area is to be retained. It is recommended that car parking and camping at the Oaks be formalised, with bollards and/or fencing installed to delineate car parking areas and prevent vehicles encroaching into surrounding vegetated areas or onto nearby mountain biking trails. Some management vehicle tracks could also be completely shut down and rehabilitated – for example, where there may be duplicate tracks running parallel to each other. Removing four-wheel drives and motorbikes from the study site and potentially rehabilitating duplicate management vehicle tracks gives this project an opportunity to actually make some meaningful environmental improvements to the study site. 3 Where tracks connect to private property, they do not appear to be heavily used, suggesting that they are not the primary point of access for those properties.


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Figure 10. Gate Locations - South

Figure 11. Gate Locations - North


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7 PROPOSED TRAIL NETWORK LAYOUT Figure 12 on the next page provides an overview map of the Harcourt Mountain Bike Park. The key aspects of the trail network are: • 18 individual mountain biking trails (including 2 ‘roundabouts’); • 5 mountain biking trails rated as ‘Easy’; • 9 mountain biking trails rated as ‘More Difficult’; • 4 mountain biking trails rated as ‘Very Difficult’; • Each trail is a loop trail; • Each trail is single-directional. The proposed direction of travel is anti-clockwise; • Each trail is shown in a different colour, simply for identification purposes. Trails have also been

given numbers, again, simply for identification purposes. Each trail should have its own name when constructed;

• The total length of the trail network is approximately 33.78km; • The entire trail network can be ridden in one, large loop, without doubling up or missing large

sections of trails. Table 2 below provides the distance and trail difficulty rating of each trail. Table 2. Trail summary

Trail Trail Length (km) Trail Difficulty Rating

1 2.79 Easy

1 (Alternate Section) 0.22 More Difficult

2 2.74 Easy

3 (Skills Trail) 0.54 Easy

4 0.38 More Difficult









13 1.00 Very Difficult




Roundabout 1 0.22 Easy

Roundabout 2 0.25 Easy

TOTAL 33.78


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Figure 12. Proposed mountain bike trail network

POSSIBLE TRAILHEAD


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8 TRAIL DESCRIPTIONS

8.1 TRAIL 1

Trail 1 is designed to appeal to novice riders. It is a very gentle, mostly flat loop trail, circumnavigating the historical Oaks area, without infringing on the existing uses of this area. It follows an existing, but now disused, water race for the first approximately 1.53km. The water race holds a very steady gradient, contouring around the hillside, making it perfect for an ‘Easy’ trail and a great introduction to mountain biking at the Harcourt Mountain Bike Park. The water race makes for an ideal formation for trail construction. During construction, the soil that was removed to create the actual water race was heaped on the lower side of the water race, creating the lower wall of the water race. This wall is the ideal placement for the trail, as it is raised above the ground on both sides, removing any potential drainage issues that normal trails can be subject to. It also offers the opportunity to have optional sections of trail that ‘swoop’ down into the base of the water race, offering riders some opportunities for thrills and excitement. Trail 1 passes extremely close to the western boundary of the study site in two locations. These locations offer excellent opportunities for separate ‘event only’ entry points - that is, an event could be held on the adjacent private property, and enter into the trail network via these two locations. In fact, the more northerly of these locations already has a gate in place. Finally, as the trail passes around the western side of the Oaks, the trail passes through a section of pine trees, crossing a shallow dry, eroded creek bed, before rejoining the main road briefly to utilise a concrete crossing over Picnic Gully Creek. Riders have an option to take a ‘More Difficult’ short trail which weaves in and out of a small dry creek line, with a ‘big dipper’ section of trail that swoops in and out of the Picnic Gully Creek, before rejoining Trail 1.


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Trail 1 Summary Information Trail Difficulty Rating:

Easy with an optional section rated More Difficult Reference Map:

Estimated Length:

2.79km

Proposed Surface:

Natural surface

Composition:

100% new trail (although approximately 54% is located on an old water race)

Elevation Profile:


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8.2 TRAIL 2

Trail 2, while also rated as ‘Easy’ will be a slightly more challenging prospect than Trail 1. It basically climbs for the first half, then descends for the second half. It skirts around the top of the old granite quarry through which Trail 4 passes, offering views into the quarry, before climbing up and crossing over one of the main vehicular roads. It continues to climb upwards, before reaching its highest point at approximately 1.4km around the loop. The second half is a rolling descent, following the contours and maintaining mostly gentle gradients as it makes its way back down to the trailhead. Trail 2 provides access to Trail 5, Trail 8 and Trail 12.


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Trail 2 Summary Information Trail Difficulty Rating: Easy

Reference Map:

Estimated Length:

2.74km

Proposed Surface:

Natural surface

Composition:

98.5% new trail, 1.5% follows an existing management vehicle road along western boundary

Elevation Profile:


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8.3 TRAIL 3

Trail 3 is a ‘skills loop’. Essentially, a ‘skills loop’ is a short trail, generally located close to the trailhead, on which people can practice essential mountain biking skills in a safe environment. Typically, skills trails feature a variety of obstacles or ‘technical trail features’ (TTF) with a cleared fall zone around them and with a clear, obvious detour route around them, so that riders can choose which obstacles to attempt. The obstacles should mimic the type of features and obstacles that riders are likely to encounter on the trail network. Skills trails are generally more popular with less experienced riders, but experienced riders may often use them as a quick warm-up/warm-down or while waiting for their riding companions to get ready. Many skills trails feature highly constructed timber obstacles such as see-saws and narrow, timber ramps and bridges. This style of riding is inherited from North American mountain biking, where environmental conditions were too wet to build conventional trails on the ground, necessitating the construction of timber features to elevate the trails. World Trail doesn’t usually recommend these types of features in the Australian context. We believe that the obstacles found on a skills trail should reflect the nature of the trails nearby, and use the materials found in the surrounding natural environment. Constructed timber features have their uses, but our normal preference is to use stone instead of timber, as it lasts longer and is not prone to bushfire damage, rot, or vandalism. Trail 3 features approximately eight obstacles or TTFs. These are described in the dot points below: • TTF 1, Berms – Berms are commonly used on descending trails to enable riders to hold higher

speeds through corners without skidding or losing traction. A berm is an insloped banked corner, similar to the way a road is cambered towards the inside on a sharp corner. Berms are expected to be a common feature on the descending trails at Harcourt and are included here for riders to practice their cornering on berms. Berms are normally constructed of soil (preferably with a moderate clay content to allow shaping and compacting), but they can be constructed with rock and timber.

• TTF 2, Jumps – Jumps are enjoyed by many experienced riders, but they can also be constructed so they are safe for usage by novice riders. Typically, World Trail would only construct jumps on More Difficult or Very Difficult trails, and would generally recommend the use of ‘tabletop’ jumps instead of ‘gap’ jumps4. The inclusion of a number of small, optional tabletop jumps on the skills loop is recommended. As they are tabletop jumps, riders can ride up and over them safely, without jumping. Again, jumps are normally constructed of soil (preferably with a moderate clay content to allow shaping and compacting), but they can be constructed with rock and timber also.

• TTF 3, Switchbacks with Steep Uphill Rock Armouring – Switchbacks are commonly used on climbing trails to help a trail gain elevation without having to climb too steeply uphill. For example, a trail may be traversing westward along a north facing slope, following the contour of the hillside, and climbing gently upward until it is blocked by a steep cliff ahead. At this point, the trail turns 180o and begins to traverse eastward, still continuing to climb upward. This sharp 180o corner is called a ‘switchback’. Switchbacks are common features of trails and are expected to be used frequently at Harcourt. They can be difficult to ride, especially if they are tight and sharp and are located on steep, narrow trails. At this location, two switchback corners would be constructed, to help the trail climb up a short hill onto the old water race. Furthermore, we propose to construct a steep, rock armoured uphill ramp from the first switchback corner to the

4 A ‘tabletop’ jump has defined takeoff and landing ramps, with a flat landing (or tabletop) in between. A ‘gap’ jump has defined takeoff and landing ramps, with a large gap in between. The difference between these is that a tabletop jump can be rolled over, but a gap jump can’t be. Gap jumps must be jumped, and if the rider doesn’t make the distance, the consequences can be severe.


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upper leg of the trail. This rock armoured ramp would climb straight up the fall-line5 of the slope, using large, flat plate-like rocks. This rock-armoured ramp simulates many steep, rocky slab climbs found throughout the proposed trail network.

• TTF 4, Timber Bridge – The skills loop in this location runs adjacent to the water race (this section of the water race is still in operation, although the water race has been improved by the addition of a concrete U-shaped culvert). A deep ditch cuts across the trail, providing an opportunity for two features – a bridge over the ditch and a roller-coaster like ‘dipper’ down into the ditch and out the other side. The bridge should be constructed at approximately 1m width and less than 3m length, with no hand rails. The ‘dipper’ down into the ditch and out is the easier, default option if riders are not comfortable attempting the bridge.

• TTF 5, Timber Bridge – TTF 5 is a repeat of TTF 4, again offering two features in one location. In this instance though, the timber bridge can be narrower (600mm) as riders have already been presented with this scenario.

• TTF 6, Rock Steps – TTF 6 would feature an alternate section of trail, running parallel to the main trail, featuring a series of rock steps of differing heights, stepping up and stepping down. Rock is one of the main features of the landscape at Harcourt and these steps will mimic typical natural rock steps found on the trails.

• TTF 7, Rollers – Rollers are small mounds of dirt arranged in close succession in a linear series along a trail. Rollers can be used to generate speed without pedalling by ‘pumping’ the bike – that is, pushing it down into the dips between rollers, and pulling it up over the crest of each roller. Good riders can jump from roller to roller, but they are not typically intended as jumps and don’t feature a sharp lip like most jumps. As with TTF 6, this TTF will be located on a short section of trail running parallel to the main trail.

• TTF 8, Rock Rollover – This TTF is the last one on the skill trail. It features a large boulder, 4-5m long and about 1.5m high. An ‘up-ramp’ will need to be constructed from timber, soil or rock to allow riders to ride up onto the boulder at the southern end, but the northern end slopes down towards the ground allowing riders to exit off the boulder easily. This feature will provide riders with the opportunity to practice riding on rock, and also some exposure to heights.

Trail 3 is rated ‘Easy’ but some of the TTF’s may be more difficult than this. Where this is true, the TTF will need to be signposted as such and there needs to be a clear and obvious alternative route around the feature.

5 The fall-line is the shortest route down/up a hill. It is perpendicular to the contours of the slope.


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Easy Reference Map:

Estimated Length:

0.54km

Proposed Surface:

Natural surface

Composition:

100% new trail

Elevation Profile:


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8.4 TRAIL 4

Trail 4 is like an extension to the skills loop (Trail 3), but is rated as More Difficult instead of Easy. The main feature of Trail 4 is that it passes through an old, but now disused, granite quarry. This old quarry features huge piles of granite, granite rock walls and is an interesting, albeit highly modified landscape. Trail 4 starts and finishes at the southern extent of Trail 3. It travels in an anti-clockwise direction, circling around the perimeter of the old quarry, avoiding the large piles of granite in the centre of the quarry. Construction of a trail through this environment will require some innovative construction techniques. It is envisaged that the trail tread would be largely comprised of granite, using a large (e.g. 4T) excavator to lift and manipulate rock slabs into place to form the trail. The trail would therefore need to be wider than normal so as to enable the excavator to pass through safely.


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More Difficult Reference Map:

Estimated Length:

0.38km

Proposed Surface:

Natural surface

Composition:

100% new trail

Elevation Profile:


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8.5 TRAIL 5

Trail 5 is rated ‘More Difficult’. It climbs for the first half and descends for the second half. After leaving Trail 2, it climbs steadily on an existing vehicular track. After 250m it turns off the existing vehicular track onto dedicated singletrack and continues to climb until reaching the highpoint at about 650m around the loop. This highpoint also coincides with a junction with Trail 16, a short loop that starts and finishes on Trail 5. Shortly after this junction, Trail 5 offers advanced riders an ‘A Line’6 option - a large, steep rock slab ‘chute’. At the bottom of the chute, a short section of trail would need to be constructed to rejoin the main line of Trail 5. After the rock chute the trail descends back towards the junction with Trail 2. The descent is generally quite gentle, following the natural contours as it makes its way downward. Just before the finish, it passes through a large open rock slab clearing. This clearing provides an excellent opportunity for an ‘off-camber’ corner and a long fall-line section on the rock slab.

6 A technique to add interest and technical challenge to trails is to create alternate, optional ‘lines’ of varying difficulty. The most difficult line is usually referred to as the ‘A-Line’, with less difficult lines referred to as the B and C Lines respectively.


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Estimated Length:

1.55km

Proposed Surface:

Natural surface

Composition:

84% new trail, 16% follows an existing management vehicle track

Elevation Profile:


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8.6 TRAIL 6

At 5.34km in length, Trail 6 will be the longest trail in the Harcourt Mountain Bike Park. Trail 6 starts and finishes at the northernmost extent of Trail 1. It climbs gently on singletrack for about 600m before making a sharp left hand turn onto an existing vehicular track, which it follows for another 500m. At this point, the existing vehicular track heads steeply uphill, but Trail 6 turns back to the left and onto a gentle singletrack climb, punctuated with four switchback corners. After the fourth of these switchbacks, Trail 6 passes up and over the top of a distinct saddle. This saddle is also the junction for Trail 7, which starts and finishes at this point. Passing through the saddle, Trail 6 continues to climb gently, heading in a northwest direction until eventually reaching the western boundary of the park. At this point, which is located in very rocky and technically challenging terrain, the trail turns southwards and heads onto a series of rock slabs, using these to climb steeply up towards the summit. These rock slabs provide the opportunity to have some steep fall-line sections of trail - the rock affords excellent traction and will not be subject to erosion like an earthen section of trail of the same steep gradient. Heading over the summit of ‘North Peak’ or ‘Saunders’, the trail begins to descend. The last 2km of trail tracks southward, via a series of bermed corners, working its way down towards the junction with Trail 1, where it finishes. With a 2km descent and some steep, challenging rock slabs, this trail will be a popular with intermediate and advanced riders.


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Estimated Length:

5.34km

Proposed Surface:

Natural surface

Composition:


Elevation Profile:


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8.7 TRAIL 7

At 4.42km Trail 7 is the second longest trail in the trail network. It starts and finishes on Trail 6, and can be described as descending for the first half and climbing for the second half. It includes a very distinctive and historical feature at approximately 850m along the trail – Target Rock. This large rock was once used by the residents of Harcourt for shooting practice and a faint target can still be seen on the west face of the rock. Otherwise, the trail includes some nice rock sections and boulders, some large old Red gums and will provide a fast, flowing, pedalling descent. The climb back up will be quite relaxed, with gentle gradients. An important feature of this trail is that it passes close to the northern entry/exit into the park, off Coopers Rd. This entry point could be used by some local riders as an alternate entry into the trail network.


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Estimated Length:

4.42km

Proposed Surface:

Natural surface

Composition:

94% new trail, 6% follows existing management vehicle tracks

Elevation Profile:


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8.8 TRAIL 8

Trail 8 is one of the most important trails in the Harcourt Mountain Bike Park. It starts and finishes on Trail 2, but it in turn provides access to Trail 9, Trail 10 and Trail 11 and climbs well up onto the flanks of South Peak. As with many of the other trails, Trail 8 has a typical ‘climb for the first half, descend for the second half’ profile. It offers views to the north, over the Oaks, and views to the west, back towards Harcourt, including some spectacular lookout points.


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Estimated Length:

3.57km

Proposed Surface:

Natural surface

Composition:


Elevation Profile:


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8.9 TRAIL 9

Trail 9 is a short loop, starting and finishing on Trail 8, offering some challenging terrain for experienced riders. The landscape in this area on the western face of south peak is characterized by a series of flat ledges or terraces, separated by rocky escarpments. The trail runs along one of these ledges, then carefully threads its way through a series of boulders and rocky drops to a small cave. Passing by the cave, the trail then climbs up onto a higher terrace/ledge and turns around 180o and heads back towards Trail 8. Just before rejoining Trail 8, Trail 9 runs along the base of a smooth, angled rock wall, giving riders the chance to use the wall as a ‘wall ride’.


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Estimated Length:

0.74km

Proposed Surface:

Natural surface

Composition:

100% new trail

Elevation Profile:


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8.10 TRAIL 10

Like Trail 9, Trail 10 starts and finishes on Trail 8. It is a challenging trail, reflecting the rocky, steep terrain around the summit of South Peak. This area is dominated by large rock slabs, boulders and a number of large, mature pine trees and offers some great views westward over Harcourt. Heading southwest from the start, Trail 10 begins climbing immediately, ascending steeply up the fall-line via a large exposed rock slab. This rock slab extends for 150-200m and, due to excellent traction, allows the trail to climb up at very steep gradients, which would otherwise be unsustainable if not located on rock slab. At the top of the rock slab, the trail passes around to the south of the main peak, extending right to the southern boundary of the park, before turning and climbing to the summit of South Peak. From the summit the trail heads northwards down the ridge line, again using the natural rocky boulders and slabs to route the trail down some quite steep gradients. Towards the bottom, just before rejoining Trail 8, the trail passes through some significant rocky boulders, which offer some excellent ‘A-line’ options to be routed up and over some of the rocks.


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Estimated Length:

0.89km

Proposed Surface:

Natural surface

Composition:

100% new trail

Elevation Profile:


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8.11 TRAIL 11

Trail 11, while rated More Difficult, is generally quite flat and doesn’t offer many challenging or difficult features. It is expected to be a fast, flowing trail with lots of pedalling, in contrast to some of the other more technical trails located nearby (Trail 9 and 10 for example). It is located in an elevated area in the southeast corner of the park, which is relatively flat, with sparse vegetation and few rock features. It includes a short section of existing vehicular track - approximately 100m - but is otherwise comprised of entirely new singletrack. Importantly, this trail passes very close by the south-eastern corner of the park. The Goldfields Track, which passes through the adjacent national park, could potentially be linked to the Harcourt Mountain Bike Park via a link to this corner.


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Estimated Length:

2.5km

Proposed Surface:

Natural surface

Composition:


Elevation Profile:


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8.12 TRAIL 12

Trail 12 starts and finishes on Trail 2. It climbs gently for the first half, travelling in a mostly east/southeast direction, passing through fairly open and gentle terrain with few distinguishing features, other than two small dams which it passes close by. Approximately half way around the loop, Trail 12 connects to Roundabout 2 (giving access to Trail 11 and Trail 13), and then begins to descend back towards Trail 2. The descent is the main feature of this trail. It closely follows a series of dry eroded creek gullies. These gullies provide numerous opportunities for the trail to swoop in and out of the gully, using natural rock features and embankments to create an exciting and interesting descent. The trail has been routed along the edge of these gullies, providing the opportunity for the trail builder to interpret the landscape during construction, to create the most interesting and challenging descent.


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Estimated Length:

2.96km

Proposed Surface:

Natural surface

Composition:

100% new trail

Elevation Profile:


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8.13 TRAIL 13

Trail 13 is one of only four ‘Very Difficult’ or Black Diamond trails. It earns this rating predominantly because of some of the steep climbs and descents it encounters, many of which are located on slab rocks. These large slabs allow for very steep gradients without fear of erosion. While they may be difficult to ride, especially in wet conditions, they also offer opportunities for riders to test their skills and legs on some of the steeper pitches throughout the park. Trail 13 is located in the south-eastern extents of the park. It is accessed from Roundabout 2 and provides access to Trail 14. It offers some excellent views towards South Peak.


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Very Difficult Reference Map:

Estimated Length:

1.00km

Proposed Surface:

Natural surface

Composition:


Elevation Profile:


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8.14 TRAIL 14

Trail 14 is rated Very Difficult. It is accessed from Trail 13. As with Trail 13, it includes some steep gradients – most notably a large rock slab section beside a small stream. It passes very close by the edge of the study site. In places the change in land tenure is quite obvious due to the cleared nature of the study site with remnant pine tree stumps, versus the large, mature Eucalypt trees in the neighbouring Regional Park. While the climb features some steep gradients, the descent, which accounts for the last two-thirds of the trail, is quite gentle, allowing for a fast, open, pedalling section of trail.


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Estimated Length:

0.83km

Proposed Surface:

Natural surface

Composition:

100% new trail

Elevation Profile:


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8.15 TRAIL 15

Trail 15 starts and finishes on Trail 12. As with many of the other trails, it has the typical ‘climb for the first half, descend for the second half’ profile. This trail occupies a unique section of the study site, surrounded on three sides by the Mt Alexander Regional Park and separated from the rest of the study site by topography. As such, it provides unique views to the south and west and gives riders a sense of isolation not felt on the other trails. Key features on this trail include some enormous boulders located near the top of the climb, at the north-western extent of the trail, very close to the boundary with the Regional Park, some beautiful, large old Eucalpytus trees located at the start of the descent and a long, flowing descent, including some rock slabs and some eroded creek gullies.


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Estimated Length:

2.4km

Proposed Surface:

Natural surface

Composition:

100% new trail

Elevation Profile:


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8.16 TRAIL 16

Trail 16 is a short loop that offers a technical Very Difficult extension to Trail 5. Starting on Trail 5, it climbs up through a series of rocky boulders and slabs, passing very close to the southern boundary of the study site. About two-thirds of the way around the loop, it reaches the high point and begins to descend. It does this via a steep ridgeline offering some spectacular views to the north. This ridgeline section includes steep rocky slabs and boulders that will test the most experienced mountain bikers.


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Estimated Length:

0.36km

Proposed Surface:

Natural surface

Composition:

100% new trail

Elevation Profile:


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8.17 ROUNDABOUT 1

Roundabout 1 is a short loop trail (approximately 200m long) located adjacent to the main trailhead. The function of this trail is simply to act as a feeder trail for all the other trails in this vicinity. Riders would start on the southern side of the trailhead and ride in an anti-clockwise direction, soon arriving back at the trailhead, but on the northern side. As they ride around this loop, riders would see all the various trails entering and exiting Roundabout 1 – firstly the entry to Trail 3, then the exit from Trail 3, then the entry to Trail 2, then the exit from Trail 2, then the entry to Trail 1 and finally the exit from Trail 1. Use of this roundabout type trail simplifies and resolves the trailhead area, meaning that only one trail enters and exits the actual trailhead. This simplifies the design of the actual trailhead area and reduces any possible congestion caused by too many trails entering and exiting the trailhead area. It also works well for racing, so that riders can be routed in and out of this area without having to cross-over other trails. The lower, western portion of the loop uses an old water race formation.


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Roundabout 1 Summary Information Trail Difficulty Rating:

Easy Reference Map:

Estimated Length:

0.22km

Proposed Surface:

Natural surface

Composition:

100% new trail

Elevation Profile:


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8.18 ROUNDABOUT 2

As with Roundabout 1, the function of this trail is simply to reduce congestion at this key junction where six trails are effectively converging (Trail 11 entry and exit, Trail entry and exit and Trail 13 entry and exit) and allow for the maximum number of route choices without the need to ride the wrong way on any trails. Like all the other trails, it follows the same anti-clockwise direction.


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Roundabout 2 Summary Information Trail Difficulty Rating:

Easy Reference Map:

Estimated Length:

0.25km

Proposed Surface:

Natural surface

Composition:

100% new trail

Elevation Profile:


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8.19 ENTIRE LOOP

The trail network has been designed so that it can be ridden in one long loop, without missing any significant sections of trail, without crossing over any other trails and without backtracking. This trail network structure is intuitive, encourages riders to travel in the preferred direction and also simplifies event management logistics as it minimises the need to have marshals out on the course (for example, at any crossover points). The entire loop is approximately 30km in length. In order to ride the entire loop, riders will need to ride the trails in the following sequence: • Start at the trailhead; • Roundabout 1; • Trail 3; • Trail 4; • Trail 3; • Roundabout 1; • Trail 2; • Trail 5; • Trail 16; • Trail 5; • Trail 2; • Trail 8; • Trail 9; • Trail 8; • Trail 10; • Trail 8; • Trail 11; • Trail 8; • Trail 2; • Trail 12; • Roundabout 2; • Trail 13; • Trail 14; • Trail 13; • Roundabout 2; • Trail 12; • Trail 15; • Trail 12; • Trail 2; • Roundabout 1; • Trail 1; • Trail 6; • Trail 7; • Trail 6; • Trail 1; • Roundabout 1; • Finish at trailhead.


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This is one possible sequence that can be devised to ride the entire trail network – other sequences and routes are also possible. Figure 13 below shows the elevation profile for the entire loop as previously described. Figure 13. Entire Loop Elevation Profile


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9 TRAIL CONSTRUCTION GUIDELINES In order to design and implement a successful mountain bike trail, one of the most important factors to consider is long-term sustainability. It is important to acknowledge the environmental impact that may occur from the construction and usage of mountain biking trails. Creating sustainable mountain biking trails starts in the design phase by ensuring that trails are located so as to avoid areas of high conservation (or cultural heritage) significance, and then continues in the construction phase through careful and sensible design. As trail construction is still a relatively small and new industry in Australia, there is no industry body, no defined standards or other guidelines to refer to for trail construction. In the absence of any Australian specific guidance, World Trail usually recommends the practices and teachings of the International Mountain Bicycling Association as being representative of ‘best practice’ for mountain biking trail construction. All trails to be constructed as part of the development of the Harcourt Mountain Bike Park should, therefore, comply with IMBA guidelines for singletrack design and construction (see www.imba.com). The IMBA book ‘Trail Solutions - IMBA’s Guide to Building Sweet Single-track’ is generally considered to be the best reference about sustainable mountain biking trail construction. The following rules/techniques are taken from this book: • Trail Difficulty Rating System – As has been discussed, the trails in the Harcourt Mountain

Bike Park are to be rated using IMBA’s Trail Difficulty Rating System (TDRS). All the trails outlined herein have been given an aspirational trail difficulty rating – care should be taken during construction to ensure that the final, constructed trails achieve these ratings. The TDRS provides actual parameters for width, gradient, surface, obstacles and other aspects of trails;

• Rolling contours concept – When building mountain bike trails it is important to implement the rolling contours concept into the design. The rolling contours concept is the starting point for any sustainable trail and basically states that the trail should be built in a side-slope location, aligned along the contours of the hillside, generally with gentle, undulating gradients;

• Outslope – The trail should be outsloped. That is, it should slope gently (no more than 5%) down towards the lower, outside edge of the trail. This allows water flowing down the hillside to shed across the trail, rather than being channelled along the trail;

• Trail gradient – the trail gradient is how steep the trail rises or falls over a specific distance. In terms of trail gradient, there are two key guidelines to follow when building mountain bike specific trails:

o The ’Half Rule’, which states that the trail’s grade shouldn’t exceed half of the grade of the hillside or slope that the trail traverses. If a grade does exceed half the side slope, it is considered a fall-line trail. Instead of shedding across the trail, water will run along the trail, displacing soil and causing erosion;

o The ‘10% Average Guideline’ was first coined by IMBA and states that, generally an average trail grade of ten per cent or less is the most sustainable;

• Grade reversals – grade reversals are the dips and crests that are incorporated into the trail as it moves along the contour. Grade reversals are absolutely critical for sustainable trails and provide interesting features and undulations to the trail. A grade reversal is essentially a point where the trail changes from downhill to uphill. Any water flowing downhill along the trail reaches the grade reversal and is forced off the trail. At the lowest point of the grade reversal, the edge of the trail should be scalloped out to ensure that there is a wide, clear outlet for the water.


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10 TRAIL MAINTENANCE Trail maintenance is a critical task in managing the trail network for safe and sustainable usage. As with any asset, the proper care and maintenance of that asset is critical to ensure its longevity and maximum usage. Maintenance of the proposed mountain bike trails is important for the following reasons: 1. To achieve the maximum number of users; 2. To make trails last as long as possible; 3. To ensure that trails do not become dangerous to the users; 4. To exercise the land manager’s duty of care to provide a safe environment for users; 5. To minimize the legal liability to the land manager. Trails that are designed and constructed according to best practice for environmental sustainability, minimise, but don’t eliminate, the maintenance burden. While the maintenance burden will be minimised through good design and construction and clever management of the trails, there will always be a residual maintenance burden. Maintenance of trails is required to limit physical changes that occur to trails over time. These physical changes can be due to naturally occurring processes or the impacts of trail users. Some of these changes are minor and unimportant and don’t affect the experience, functionality or safety of the trails. Other changes have more significant impacts and can have a drastic effect on the experience, functionality or safety of the trails. Some typical changes that may occur are listed below. 1. The accumulation of organic material (leaves, twigs, bark etc.) on the surface of the trails. In

heavily forested areas the accumulation of organic material on the trails is likely to be considerable. After heavy winds or storms, trees and branches may also fall on trails. A moderate amount of leaf litter is acceptable on the surface of trails, as it can slow the flow of water, thus protecting the actual trail surface, and it can also provide an enjoyable riding surface and a natural appearance. However, large sticks, branches or trees must be removed as soon as possible. Such items pose a hazard to the trail users and can also provide cause for users to detour around them, widening the trail or creating a new route.

2. Encroachment of surrounding vegetation into the trail corridor. The trail corridor7 should be kept

clear of any encroaching vegetation. Although heavy trail use tends to discourage heavy vegetation growth within trail corridors, over time vegetation lining the trail is likely to grow into the trail corridor. On trails that are rarely used, new plants can even become established in the trail tread itself. This vegetation poses a number of problems:

o It can be dangerous to users if it protrudes into the trail corridor near eye height; o It can be annoying to trail users, detracting from the overall trail experience; o Some vegetation can be sharp or hard and can be painful to brush against; o It can block the line of sight for trail users; o It can push riders towards the outside edge of the trail, instead of the middle part of the

trail. This part of the trail is often less stable than the middle and can lead to potential slumping of the lower batter.

7 Defined as the three-dimensional space above the trail, through which a trail user passes. The trail corridor should be as wide as the trail and high enough to accommodate the intended trail users (generally 2-3m for mountain bikers).


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3. Water damage – While the implementation of sustainable trail construction techniques and erosion prevention measures should minimise the potential for water to damage trails, extreme rainfall events can, due to the sheer volume of water, overcome some of these erosion prevention measures, eroding the trail surface and batters. Trails should be inspected for water damage after excessively heavy rainfall events.

4. Compaction of trails leading to a ‘cupped’ or concave trail profile – Over time, the trail profile can

become ‘cupped’ or concaved. This ‘cupping’ is caused by two things: o The downward force applied by the tyres of mountain bikes or the feet of walkers causing

the soil to compact in the middle of the trail; o The flow of water and the impact of trail users causing organic material to migrate

towards the lower edges of the trail, where it accumulates, causing the edge of the trail to become higher than the middle of the trail.

5. Blocked grade reversals – Grade reversals are a key sustainability feature and should be

incorporated into all the proposed trails. The outlet of each and every grade reversal must be kept clear of organic material (leaves, bark, sticks) and soil in order for it to continue functioning properly. This is a key maintenance task, as any organic material that falls anywhere on the trail will eventually be pushed towards the grade reversal outlet by the action of water and trail users. This is an ongoing and essential maintenance task. No matter how well constructed the trail is, in time the grade reversals will become clogged with organic material and soil. How quickly this occurs depends on the surface material of the trail, the amount of usage the trail receives, the volume and frequency of rainfall and even the surrounding vegetation.

6. Damage to signage – Signage plays an important role in risk management. Unfortunately, it is

subject to damage, through both natural and human causes. Natural causes include branches/limbs of trees falling and damaging signs, bushfires, strong winds etc. In urban areas, signage is often likely to suffer from vandalism. Typically, signage may be defaced or graffitied, damaged or even stolen. As it forms a key tool in communicating the potential risks to trail users, it is important that the signage is maintained so that it remains clear and legible.

The above points are just some of the changes that can occur to trails over time. This is not an exhaustive list. The actions of water, wind, animals and trail users are difficult to predict over long periods of time, hence the need to monitor and inspect the trails regularly. Once the proposed trail network has been established, it is recommended that a dedicated trail maintenance plan be produced and implemented. There are two main components of a thorough trail maintenance plan: • Routine trail inspections; • Trail maintenance works. The objective of routine trail inspections is to identify any problems or changes to the trails that need to be repaired. Any problems that are identified then form the basis for ongoing maintenance works. Routine trail inspections need to be undertaken regularly to be effective. The exact frequency of these inspections should be determined based on the available resources and the length of the trail network, but each individual trail should probably be inspected monthly as a minimum. Following storms, heavy rain, or strong winds, additional inspections should be undertaken. Following a routine trail inspection, if any trail maintenance works are identified, they should be classified as either urgent or non-urgent.


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Trail maintenance work would be considered urgent if: • It poses a significant safety risk; • It is likely to lead to further and significant damage if not rectified; • It makes the trail un-usable. Urgent maintenance items should be repaired immediately. If an urgent problem cannot be rectified immediately, then the trail should be closed until it can be rectified. Non-urgent maintenance items can be undertaken on pre-determined, scheduled maintenance days. Such days could even be open to volunteers from the local mountain bike community. When carrying out any trail maintenance works, either urgent or non-urgent, all necessary safety precautions should be taken. Appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) should be used for all works. Any tasks requiring machinery operation (excavator, chainsaw etc.) must only be undertaken by suitably qualified and licensed individuals. All works should be undertaken to a thorough, professional, industry level standard. There are some management measures that can be implemented to minimize the maintenance burden. These include: 1. Close the trails during and after periods of heavy rain

This policy has been implemented at other locations throughout Australia to good effect. Reducing traffic on the trails during and after times of heavy rain when soils are soft will be highly beneficial to the longevity and condition of the trails.

2. Enforce a strict policy of ‘no unauthorized trail modifications’ and remove or repair any

such modifications immediately Although users are to be encouraged to take ownership of the trails and to undertake maintenance, any additions or modifications to the trails are to be removed immediately. Such user built modifications are often poorly constructed and may change the intended difficulty of a trail, resulting in increased risks for users.

3. Any modifications/maintenance to the track should only be conducted by authorised

person/s Modifications to the trails may be required in the future to improve the user experience or address safety and/or maintenance concerns. Modifications should only be made by authorized people with the necessary skills and experience to ensure trails remain safe and fit for the purpose for which they were designed and constructed for.

4. Require event organizers to repair trail damage caused by the event

While events are important for overall visitation, events should be subject to clear rules about damage to trails, with a bond held to ensure any rectification works are undertaken post event.


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11 SIGNAGE Signage is an important component of a successful trail network. It performs an important risk management function of informing trail users about potential risks they will encounter along the trail. Effective signage aids navigation and can also be an important tool for educating users about specific risk issues, proper behaviour, designated uses and local flora/fauna. In order to be effective, signs must convey certain key pieces of information that riders need to know in order to navigate their way throughout the trail network safely and enjoyably. Furthermore, there a number of different types of signs that should be used throughout the trail network, each with a slightly different function. One of the key pieces of information that trail signage must convey to trail users is the difficulty of the trails. As discussed previously, World Trail recommends the use of IMBA’s Trail Difficulty Rating System to rate the difficulty of the trails. The IMBA system has been implemented at the majority of Australia’s dedicated mountain biking destinations and is probably the most widely used and understood system. By implementing the internationally recognised IMBA Trail Difficulty Rating System at the Harcourt Mountain Bike Park, trail users will have a greater chance of understanding the trail ratings and symbols and consequently navigating the trail network in a safe manner. Another key piece of information to be conveyed by the signage is the name of the trail. This may seem obvious, but is frequently overlooked. All trails should be given names – a name is essential to enable a rider to locate him/herself on a map. Not only does naming trails aid in navigation, but it is also important from a marketing perspective. Riders will identify the trails by name when discussing them with other riders, and a name can convey a lot of hidden meaning and mythology within it that can help to build the reputation of a trail in the minds of other potential visitors. Three types of signs are recommended for use on the trails identified in this report. These are referred to as Trailhead Signs, Decision Point Signs and Waymarkers. It is important to note that all signage should be installed before the official opening of any proposed trails. The importance of signage can’t be overstated. Many destinations spend large sums of money creating great trail networks, which end up being let down by poor signage. While it may seem a small and insignificant aspect of trail development, signage is the icing on the cake from the visitor’s perspective – it doesn’t matter how good the trails are if people can’t find them! Over many years of working in this field World Trail has developed an excellent knowledge of what does and doesn’t work for signage. The system outlined herein for signage is sound and functional and should form the base level for signage. In addition to our trail design and construction services, World Trail can provide a comprehensive signage package that includes all design, fabrication and installation costs.


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11.1 TRAILHEAD SIGNS

As the name suggests, a trailhead sign should be installed at the main trailhead to inform trail users of all aspects relating to the use of the trails. These signs are an important risk management tool to communicate specific information that will enable users to make informed decisions about which trails to ride, based on their ability, skills and time available. The signs also detail important information that will assist users and rescuers in the case of an emergency. Trailhead Signs should be as large as possible, easy to read and visually appealing, similar to the one shown in Figure 14 below. Figure 14. Trailhead Sign in Forrest, Victoria

As a minimum requirement, a Trailhead Sign should include the following information: • A map of the trail network; • The name, distance and difficulty rating for each trail; • A prominent logo for the trail network; • Trail etiquette (e.g. IMBA Rules of the Trail); • Safety information; • What to bring / wear; • Emergency / mobile phone reception points; • Emergency contact information.


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11.2 DECISION POINT SIGNS

A Decision Point Sign should be used at the start of every trail. Riders need to know that they are leaving the current trail and are about to embark on a new trail. The Decision Point Sign should give them sufficient information to make a decision as to whether they want to attempt the new trail, or whether they would prefer to remain on their existing trail. Decision Point Signs should include the following information: 1. The name of the new trail departing from that point; 2. An arrow indicating the direction of the new trail; 3. The difficulty symbol of the new trail (i.e. green circle, blue square, black diamond); 4. A small map showing the trail user’s current location (i.e. you are here); 5. The official trail network logo. Decision Point Signs are recommended at the start of all trails as these are the points at which the trail user needs to make an informed decision about which trail to choose. This is an important risk management consideration, as choosing the wrong trail may commit the trail user to a longer or more difficult trail than they are capable of. By including a trail map and the other information recommended at each decision point, the user is given all the information they need to make an informed decision. Decision Point Signs are not as large as a Trailhead Sign, but should be larger than a Waymarker. Typical dimensions for a Decision Point Sign would be approximately 400mm wide x 50mm deep x 1,000mm tall (with approximately 600mm embedded in the ground). Figure 15 on the next page shows a possible layout for a Decision Point Sign.


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Figure 15. Possible layout of a Decision Point Sign


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11.3 WAYMARKERS

A Waymarker is a simple bollard or post (generally about 100mm wide x 100mm deep x 1200mm tall [with approximately 600mm embedded in the ground]) with symbols on it to guide trail users in the correct direction at any point of uncertainty where it may not be entirely clear where the trail goes. Examples of where a Waymarker should be used include: • Where a mountain bike trail crosses a road or four-wheel drive track – there is no need to

signpost the name of the road or four-wheel drive track because it is not intended for use by mountain bikers, but there is a need to provide direction and reassurance for mountain bikers at this point to ensure they follow the mountain biking trail;

• Where there have been no signs for a substantial distance – if there have been no intersections or signs for, say, 2km, it might be prudent to place a waymarker beside the trail with a ‘straight ahead’ arrow, just to reassure riders they are still on the correct trail;

• Where a new trail branches off from another trail – the new trail should have a Decision Point Sign, but the current, continuing trail should have a waymarker to advise the rider that the trail they have been using continues as well.

Waymarkers can also be used to signify the wrong direction of travel, by using an ‘X’. For example, where a cross-country trail crosses over a downhill trail, or merges with another trail, it may be wise to place Waymarkers suitably with ‘X’ symbols to discourage riders from going the wrong way. It is also good practice to place ‘X’ symbols on the backs of any Waymarkers, just as extra advice to riders that may travel in the wrong direction. Figure 16 on the next page shows a Waymarker used on a mountain biking trail in Forrest, Victoria. This Waymarker is a wooden post with an identifying logo at the top of the post. This Waymarker also demonstrates the correct order of the symbols – the symbol identifying the difficulty rating and the number of the trail first, with an arrow below showing which direction to travel8.

8 Note that this Waymarker identifies the trail and it’s difficulty rating by placing the number of the trail inside the difficulty rating symbol. This is an innovative way of saving space, but the use of numbers to identify trails is not supported. World Trail believes that using unique and interesting trail names is a far better than using numbers, as it helps to build an identity for each trail, which assists in marketing the trail network and attracting more visitors.


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Figure 16. Waymarker on mountain biking trail in Forrest, Victoria


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11.4 ESTIMATED SIGNAGE QUANTITIES

To assist in the development of a signage plan, World Trail has estimated the number of Trailhead, Decision Point and Waymarker signs that may be required throughout the HMBP. Signage estimates are based on the trail alignments identified within this report. Small adjustments may be made to these alignments during construction, and as such signage requirements may be subject to change and should be reviewed once the trail construction is complete. In addition to signage that assists navigation throughout the site, it is also recommended that interpretive signage be installed at points of interest throughout the network. Interpretive signage can be used as an additional risk management technique, for example, by providing advice and instruction on how to ride the technical trail features found along the skills trail, or it can simply be used to describe areas of historical significance such as: • Target Rock; • Granite quarries; • Caves; • Lookouts, including descriptions of the area’s geography and historical land use; • The Oaks Plantation. Table 3 below lists the total estimated signage requirements for the HMBP. Note that this has been calculated based on the recommendations discussed in the preceding sub-chapters about signage, and in particular, includes waymarkers for all road crossings and all trail intersections. Table 3. Estimated Sign Quantities and Locations

Location Trailhead Signs Decision Points Waymarkers Interpretive Signage

Trailhead 1 Roundabout 1 3 Roundabout 2 3

Trail 1 1 10 1 Trail 2 1 11 Trail 3 1 5 8 Trail 4 1 1 1 Trail 5 1 4 Trail 6 1 12 Trail 7 1 14 1 Trail 8 1 11 Trail 9 1 1 1

Trail 10 1 3 1 Trail 11 1 9

Goldfields Track Entrance 1 Trail 12 1 10 Trail 13 1 5 Trail 14 1 2 Trail 15 1 6 Trail 16 1 1

Total 2 16 111 13


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12 CONSTRUCTION COST ESTIMATE This chapter provides indicative industry costs for the construction of the trails identified within this master plan. The conditions at the study site at Harcourt are relatively good for trail construction: • Vegetation is generally quite open (although there are some more densely forested areas); • Soils are generally course granitic sand. This soil type offers good drainage properties, but

offers poor compaction and is susceptible to displacement by water and trail users. Trails will need to be carefully designed and constructed to ensure gradients are kept as low as possible and to avoid any fall-line sections (except where slab rock can be used). This soil type has very close similarities to soils at the You Yangs, near Geelong in Victoria, which is one of Melbourne’s most popular mountain biking destinations. Managed carefully, these granitic sand soils offer many benefits for mountain biking;

• The topography is gentle to moderately steep; • There are few watercourses to cross over/avoid; • There is an abundance of rock, both loose surface rock and large slabs of bedrock. While these

may also pose some difficulties for construction, it is generally considered beneficial as rock is an excellent material for trail construction.

To arrive at a cost estimate to construct this trail network, World Trail has applied a ‘construction difficulty’ score to each trail, and then applied a per metre rate to each construction difficulty rating. The construction difficulty, and subsequent construction cost estimates take into account the level of vegetation clearing required, soil types, the proposed IMBA difficulty rating of each trail and the overall topography and other challenges that may be encountered to construct a benched, natural surface, machine-built, 1m wide, mountain bike trail within the alignments identified during ground-truthing. While mountain biking trails can also be built by hand, most professional trail construction contractors build trails using excavators, as it is more cost effective and provides better outcomes for quality control. This methodology for pricing, while subjective, is an appropriate tool to estimate the likely costs of trail construction at this early master planning stage. The matrix used to calculate construction costs is shown in Table 4 below. Table 4. Construction Difficulty and Cost Matrix

Construction Difficulty Rating (1-5)

Approximate Cost ($) Per Metre

0.5 $10.00

1 $15.00

1.5 $20.00

2 $25.00

2.5 $30.00

3 $35.00

3.5 $40.00

4 $45.00

4.5 $50.00

5 $55.00


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As an example, a construction difficulty score of 0.5 would be applied to an existing trail that is overgrown, requiring some simple brush cutting and clearing to reopen, with no need for any excavation. A trail with a construction difficulty rating of 5 would involve substantial amounts of rock armouring, frequent berms, switchbacks, jumps or rollers (requiring extensive earthworks) and heavy vegetation clearing. Generally speaking, most of the trails at Harcourt will be at the easier end of the spectrum for trail construction difficulty. The construction difficulty score for each of the proposed trails at the Harcourt Mountain Bike Park is shown in Table 5 below, along with the applicable, per metre rate for each type of construction and the resultant total cost estimate to build each individual trail. Table 5. Construction types and rates

Trail

Construction Difficulty (rated from 1-5)

Trail length (m) Typical Rate Per Lineal Metre of Trail

Total

1 1.5 2,790 $20.00 $55,800.00 1 Alternate 2.5 220 $30.00 $6,600.00

2 2.5 2,740 $30.00 $82,200.00 3 (Skills Trail) 3.0 540 $35.00 $18,900.00

4 4.5 380 $50.00 $19,000.00 5 3.0 1,550 $35.00 $54,250.00 6 3.5 5,340 $40.00 $213,600.00 7 2.5 4,420 $30.00 $132,600.00 8 3.0 3,570 $35.00 $124,950.00 9 3.5 760 $40.00 $30,400.00

10 3.5 950 $40.00 $38,000.00 11 2.0 2,500 $25.00 $62,500.00 12 3.0 2,960 $35.00 $103,600.00 13 2.5 1,000 $30.00 $30,000.00 14 2.5 830 $30.00 $24,900.00 15 2.5 2,400 $30.00 $72,000.00 16 3.5 360 $40.00 $14,400.00

Roundabout 1 2.0 220 $25.00 $5,500.00 Roundabout 2 2.0 220 $25.00 $5,500.00

Total $1,094,700.00 Note that all cost estimates provided above are indicative estimates only. They should not be treated as quotes for construction. While these rates include all labour and the provision of the necessary equipment and machinery to construct the trails, they do not include many costs that should be factored in when considering the overall cost to deliver this plan. Additional costs to be considered include: • GST; • Contractor expenses (i.e. mobilisation and accommodation costs); • Any costs associated with obtaining permits or approvals; • Any further design or consulting costs; • Signage fabrication and installation costs; • Trailhead design and construction costs; • Improvements to existing roads and construction of car parks; • Other infrastructure costs – shelters, picnic tables, toilets, bridges, boardwalks etc.


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Obtaining all relevant permits and approvals prior to construction is the responsibility of GTI. Depending on the approval process required, it may be necessary to engage independent experts to assess the impacts that trail construction could have on the ecological and cultural heritage values within the reserve. Should any areas of high cultural or ecological significance be discovered on any of the proposed alignments for new trails, it may be necessary to adjust the alignments to avoid such areas.


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13 CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE Having spent a considerable amount of time on site, looking at terrain, soils, vegetation and other characteristics that impact on trail construction, World Trail believes that a productivity rate of approximately 100-150m per day is achievable at Harcourt9. For trails where trail construction difficulty is easy, this productivity rate would increase, and for trails where construction difficulty is difficult, the productivity rate would decrease. Overall however, an average of around 125m per day is deemed to be a reasonable target. Given the total trail network distance is approximately 33.78km (which is likely to increase by up to 10% during construction, as GPS track logs tend to underestimate the distance of constructed trail), construction of the entire trail network would therefore take about 270 working days, which equates to around 54 working weeks. This doesn’t account for delays caused by wet weather or public holidays etc. This construction period could also be shortened considerably by using multiple construction teams – the above scenario assumes all trails would be constructed by one team. In large projects World Trail uses two or even three teams simultaneously, which speeds up construction substantially. With two teams, the entire trail network could be constructed in about 27 weeks. With three teams, the entire trail network could be constructed in about 18 weeks. If necessary, construction could also be staged across multiple years. A staged implementation approach can sometimes assist in funding and can sometimes be necessary to avoid periods of bad weather (for example, in alpine areas no construction can occur in winter and in tropical areas no construction can occur in the wet season). Should a staged implementation approach be taken, trails should be constructed in the following order: 1. Roundabout 1; 2. Trail 1; 3. Trail 2; 4. Trail 5; 5. Trail 6; 6. Trail 3; 7. Trail 4; 8. Trail 8; 9. Trail 11; 10. Trail 12; 11. Roundabout 2; 12. Trail 7; 13. Trail 9; 14. Trail 10; 15. Trail 15; 16. Trail 13; 17. Trail 14; 18. Trail 16.

9 Based on a 9 hour day, using one full experienced construction team (1 x trail designer/project manager [at approximately 50%], 1 x machine operator, 3 x trail labourers), to construct rolling contour, machine built, partial bench, natural surface trail of 1m width and allowing for the removal of vegetation and the construction of rock armouring, berms, jumps and other features as appropriate.


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14 SUMMARY The proposed trail network for the Harcourt Mountain Bike Park is approximately 34km in length, with 18 trails in total (including the two roundabouts), ranging from Easy to Very Difficult. The trail network includes some long climbs and descents. The longest climb is about 3km long and is found on Trail 6. The longest descent is about 2.2km long and is located on Trail 7. However, by combining a number of trails, it is possible to create a longer continuous descent – the longest possible descent begins at South Peak and descends via Trail 10, Trail 8 and Trail 2, a total descent of 3.5km. While this master plan has succeeded in delivering the project’s aim of around 30km of trails, World Trail believes it is a good fit to the terrain and doesn’t try to fit too much trail into too small a space. Trail networks that try to squeeze too much trail into a small area can be confusing and frustrating to ride, with no sense of purpose or meaningful movement through the landscape. This trail network retains plenty of gaps and empty spaces between trails, creating space for the natural environment and ensuring trails don’t pass too close to other trails. It also retains some large empty areas that could potentially be expanded into in the future if further trail development is ever required. World Trail has designed master plans for mountain biking destinations all around Australia. We believe that the proposed Harcourt Master Plan has a lot to offer mountain bikers and will be a great and successful mountain biking destination if delivered to a high standard of quality and execution. We believe it has the capacity to achieve excellent visitation due to the following factors: • Proximity to Melbourne – at less than two hours driving time from Melbourne, distance is not

likely to be a disincentive for Melbourne-based mountain bikers to visit; • Good, challenging rocky terrain – the terrain offers the opportunity to create challenging, exciting

trails, and a real point of difference to many other trail networks around Melbourne; • Good winter riding destination – the granitic soils offer excellent drainage, meaning that Harcourt

would be a great winter riding destination to avoid mud; • Reputation – the Harcourt Mountain Bike Park has the opportunity to build on the sound

reputation that Castlemaine, Woodend and other surrounding areas have for mountain biking. The construction of the 34km trail network is estimated to cost approximately $1.1M (excluding peripheral infrastructure and various other costs). We believe this pricing is adequate for the construction of the trails, although it may be possible to reduce costs through competitive tendering and other innovative solutions. Construction can be undertaken in one stage, or staged across multiple years, and the overall time of construction could be reduced by having multiple construction teams working simultaneously. Overall, World Trail unreservedly support the development of Harcourt as a mountain biking destination and believe that, if implemented with best practice construction techniques, will be highly successful.


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15 APPENDICES

15.1 IMBA TRAIL DIFFICULTY RATING SYSTEM Rating Very Easy Easiest More Difficult

Very Difficult Extremely

Difficult

Symbol

Description Likely to be a fire

road or wide single track with a gentle gradient, smooth surface and free of obstacles. Frequent encounters are likely with other cyclists, walkers, runners and horse riders.

Likely to be a combination of fire road or wide single track with a gentle gradient, smooth surface and relatively free of obstacles. Short sections may exceed these criteria. Frequent encounters are likely with other cyclists, walkers, runners and horse riders.

Likely to be a single trail with moderate gradients, variable surface and obstacles. Dual use or preferred use Optional lines desirable

Likely to be a challenging single trail with steep gradients, variable surface and many obstacles. Single use and direction Optional lines XC, DH or trials

Extremely difficult trails will incorporate very steep gradients, highly variable surface and unavoidable, severe obstacles. Single use and direction Optional lines XC, DH or trials

Trail Width 2100mm plus or minus 900mm

900mm plus or minus 300mm for tread or bridges.

600mm plus or minus 300mm for tread or bridges.

300mm plus or minus 150mm for tread and bridges. Structures can vary.

150mm plus or minus 100mm for tread or bridges. Structures can vary.

Trail Surface

Hardened or smooth.

Mostly firm and stable.

Possible sections of rocky or loose tread.

Variable and challenging.

Widely variable and unpredictable.

Average Trail

Grade

Climbs and descents are mostly shallow. Less than 5% average.

Climbs and descents are mostly shallow, but may include some moderately steep sections. 7% or less average.

Mostly moderate gradients but may include steep sections. 10% or less average.

Contains steeper descents or climbs. 20% or less average.

Expect prolonged steep, loose and rocky descents or climbs. 20% or greater average

Maximum Trail Grade

Max 10%

Max 15%

Max 20% or greater

Max 20% or greater

Max 40% or greater


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Level of Trail

Exposure

Firm and level fall zone to either side of trail corridor

Exposure to either side of trail corridor includes downward slopes of up to 10%

Exposure to either side of trail corridor includes downward slopes of up to 20%

Exposure to either side of trail corridor includes steep downward slopes or free-fall

Exposure to either side of trail corridor includes steep downward slopes or free-fall

Natural Obstacles

and Technical

Trail Features

(TTFs)

No obstacles. Unavoidable obstacles to 50mm (2”) high, such as logs, roots and rocks. Avoidable, rollable obstacles may be present. Unavoidable bridges 900mm wide. Short sections may exceed criteria.

Unavoidable, rollable obstacles to 200mm (8”) high, such as logs, roots and rocks. Avoidable obstacles to 600mm may be present. Unavoidable bridges 600mm wide. Width of deck is half the height. Short sections may exceed criteria.

Unavoidable obstacles to 380mm (15”) high, such as logs, roots, rocks, drop-offs or constructed obstacles. Avoidable obstacles to 1200mm may be present. Unavoidable bridges 600mm wide. Width of deck is half the height. Short sections may exceed criteria.

Large, committing and unavoidable obstacles to 380mm (15”) high. Avoidable obstacles to 1200mm may be present. Unavoidable bridges 600mm or narrower. Width of bridges is unpredictable. Short sections may exceed criteria.


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15.2 WORLD TRAIL CONTACT DETAILS

Postal Address: World Trail Pty Ltd P.O BOX 6108 CAIRNS QLD AUSTRALIA 4870 Head Office: World Trail Pty Ltd 288 Kamerunga Road CAIRNS, QLD AUSTRALIA, 4870 ACN: 126 067 847 ABN: 93 794 484 623 Email: [email protected] Website: www.world-trail.com

Glen Jacobs Director Mobile: 0407 674 943 Email: [email protected]

Dylan Jeffries Director Mobile: 0408 007 494 Email: [email protected]

Gerard McHugh General Manager Mobile: 0439 564 756 Email: [email protected]

Grant Suckling Project Manager/Consultant Mobile: 0438 413 127 Email: [email protected]

HARCOURT MOUNTAIN(BIKE(PARK%MASTER PLAN · proposed mountain bike and road cycling tracks...

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