Duck Creek MTB park soon to open

HARD work and dedication by the Northern Rivers Dirty Wheels Mountain Bike Club has seen a new soon to be opened Duck Creek Mountain Bike Park at Alstonville.

HAPPY TRAILS: The Northern Rivers Dirty Wheels Mountain Bike Club named a trail Frankers after Parliamentary Secretary Ben Franklin MLC at Duck Creek Mountain Bike Park at Alstonville. Picture: Alison Paterson

FUTURE mountain bike champions will look back at those who created many of the expert-rated trails at the Duck Creek Mountain Bike Park with gratitude.

On Tuesday the Northern Rivers Dirty Wheels Mountain Bike Club held a sneak-peak of the 9km of purpose built, single track trails for the exclusive use of mountain bike riders at the 20.2ha Duck Creek MTB Park to celebrate the completion of the major grant works for the Alstonville facility.

Club president Sheryn Da-Re said after six years and more than 6000 volunteer hours, the club is looking forward to Ballina Council giving then facility the green-light.

"In 2017 we received a NSW Government Infrastructure Grant to the value of $207,350 and this has been critical for us to deliver a world-class standard trail network,” she said.

"When the club started there were no public, legal purpose-built MTB trails to ride locally or within a 90 minute drive, the nearest was at Nerang in the north and Grafton in the south.”

Dave Hegarty said many of the steeper trails were created using a shovel and rake.

Sam Kent said he used a small excavator to carve out many of the black-rated (expert level) trails.

"Bring in the bush carving up dirt and being artistic, it's pretty cool,” he said.

"Others with a rake, give the trail a bit of a caress and make it look all schmicko.”

Da-Re said the project had been supported by Ballina Shire Council, the NSW Government and Parliamentary Secretary Ben Franklin MLC.

Franklin said he was thrilled to have a trail named after him.

"It's called Frankers and I think it's pretty steep, I have not been down it yet,” he said. www.duckcreekmtb.com/donate