Professional BMX track opens at Bracken Ridge
BMX Bandits, rejoice. The first professional BMX track in Brisbane has officially opened, just in time for the school holidays. | DRONE FOOTAGE
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BMX Bandits, rejoice. The first professional BMX track in Brisbane has officially opened, just in time for the school holidays.
The $2.3 million facility at Bracken Ridge, in Brisbane’s north, covers a 5700sqm area on the corner of Telegraph and Lemke Rds, next to a skate plaza and aquatic centre.
It contains 640 metres of track with runs suitable for entry, intermediate and advanced level riders, including freestyle jumps and obstacles from 40cm to 160cm in height.
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Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said it was the first of two dedicated off-road freestyle and racing facilities for BMX riders planned for Brisbane; another will open in Darra by the middle of next year.
“We wanted to create a space on the northside and one on the southside,” Cr Quirk said.
“That’s not to say that in future years we can’t look at more facilities.”
Cr Quirk said there were about 16 smaller BMX facilities across Brisbane but they only had a single jump.
The Bracken Ridge circuit was designed by Chris Bierton of JW Concepts.
He’s been a BMX rider for about 20 years and has ridden all over the world..
“I was just trying to design something that’s fun and good to learn on,” Mr Bierton said.
“I got a lot of ideas from BMX race tracks and dirt tracks.”
Peter Mackellar of Deluxe Dirt Innovations (which builds tracks and jumps) said: “It’s the best thing that’s happened to BMX in Brisbane for a long time, because we’re seeing an investment in the growth of BMX.”
Will Fraser, 12, of Carseldine, has been looking forward to the opening of the track for months and had the opportunity to try it out this morning.
“It’s very good. I like the big jumps,” Will said.
Cr Amanda Cooper (Bracken Ridge) said she was delighted the facility was open in time for the holidays.
“We now have a great new space which is free for everyone to come down and enjoy,” Cr Cooper said.
“Hopefully it will be a space for a new Olympic champion to be born.”
The track has a shade shelter with seating, another 30 car parks have been added to the precinct and there is lighting at the BMX track and skate plaza until 10pm.
The roadside wall of the BMX track contains a mural designed by local artists Cezary Stulgis and Benjamin Reeve as part of the Brisbane Canvas initiative.
Cr Cooper said there was an option for Council to create more picnic facilities in the area in the future.
BMX is said to have been created in the 1960s when US children mimicked off-road motorbike racing by kitting out their bikes with numbers and other embellishments.
It reached its first peak cool in 1983 in Australia when the movie BMX Bandits was released, starring a very young Nicole Kidman.
Since then, the sport has grown into an international competition with the first UCI World Cup held in 2016. It will become an Olympic sport in Tokyo in 2020.
HOLIDAY WORKSHOPS
Freestyle riders from The Village BMX will be holding free lessons for children up to 17 years at the new Bracken Ridge BMX facility from 3-4.30pm on Wednesday, September 26 and Saturday, September 29.
Bring your own bike and helmet.
Details: australianskateboarding.com
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