Pioneer Valley Mountain Bike Trails approved in Mackay for 2023
After seven years of planning, Queensland’s newest ‘world-class’ mountain biking destination has been officially approved. See where the trails will go and when they will open.
Mackay
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The first stage of a “world-class” mountain bike trail destination expected to bring 31,000 extra tourists into North Queensland has been officially approved.
Plans for the Pioneer Valley Mountain Bike Trails at Finch Hatton and Eungella have been in the works for seven years, but clicked up a gear on January 25 during the first ordinary meeting of Mackay Regional Council.
“The (26) proposed single-direction trails, located west of Mackay, will navigate through Australia’s longest stretch of lush subtropical rainforest (that) goes through Eungella National Park and Crediton State Forest,” tendering documents state.
“The PVMBT offers more than 100km of concept trail alignments, covering a broad range of trail experiences suitable for all rider abilities.”
“ Featuring deep lush rainforests and following sections of Broken River whereplatypus are abundant, the first portion of this trail shows some of the most iconic areas of the EungellaNational Park,” tendering documents state. “Following further along the alignment, the trail navigates through some sections ofbushfire regrowth on the upper ridgelines near Crediton. In the most remote areas of the network, theWilderness trail ducks in and out of lush rainforests and across steep side slopes before descendingdown to Leura Creek and onto the main trail network in Finch Hatton.” Picture: Mackay Regional Council
Deputy Mayor Karen May said the trails would “open up the Pioneer Valley for a whole range of opportunities”.
“This (approval) is the very first step of something that will be absolutely fantastic for this region,” Mrs May said.
Tendering documents detail Stage 1 of the PVMBP will include 16 trails measuring 13.5km in Finch Hatton, in addition to a shuttle drop-off point, the trailhead site at the old Cattle Creek Sugar Mill site and a pump track.
Documents state the practical completion date is November this year.
“When fully operational, the mountain bike park is estimated to generate an additional $18 million (in) annual economic benefit in the Mackay region,” documents state.
Councillor Justin Englert said it was “the most significant economic opportunity” in Mackay over the past “couple of decades” second to the Mackay Waterfront Priority Development Area.
A formerly keen mountain biker who has travelled to New Zealand, Switzerland and Norway, Mr Englert said the Pioneer Valley would outshine its Australian competition with pleasant weather all year round and a higher trail.
“(What) we’re expecting in the first couple of years is 5-8000 (tourists) a year,” he said.
“So this is significant.”
Mayor Greg Williamson said the approval was a “great project for Queensland, not just for Mackay” with construction “imminent”.
“It might sound a little bit silly that council has to apply to council to get a development application approved,” Mr Williamson said with a laugh.
“But we have to put it though the same procedure that any normal DA would do.”
Mr Williamson said there was millions for the $15-20 million project in the budget, but the council would petition the state government for funding.
Tendering for the Stage 1 trails opened on January 20 and will close on February 28, with a contract expected to awarded in late March to early April.
The trail site is home to a variety of fauna including northern quolls, red-tailed black cockatoos, red-backed fairy-wrens, rainbow bee-eaters, tawny frogmouths, scarlet honeyeaters, laughing kookaburras, and the endangered red goshawk.
Environmental restrictions for Stage 1 construction include a ban on clearing “mature vegetation from the canopy stratum”, “hollow bearing trees” and “tall standing trees with a diameter at breast height of 100mm or more”.
Construction must avoid creeks and gullies with bridges to be installed to minimise impacts on watercourse and vegetation and the contractor must not injure or kill native fauna.
“Stage 2 trails are currently going through the approvals phase, and it is anticipated that these will be gained by the end of 2023, so that construction can commence in 2024,” tendering documents state.
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