Northern beaches: Power tools and machinery used to build huge illegal bike trail at Seaforth

Up to a hectare of bushland was destroyed with suggestions people used power tools and heavy machinery such as diggers to illegally extend a bike trail on the northern beaches.

Illegal BMX bike jumps and trails have been created at Seaforth using power tools and heavy machinery. Picture: Supplied.

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Power tools and heavy machinery was used to illegally clear a hectare of bushland to create a series of BMX bike trail and jumps, it is believed.

Smaller trees were cut down, but it is believed larger trees were also felled and that diggers must have been used to create the trails.

The illegal trail is off an official council-approved Grove Bike Park in Seaforth.

It’s estimated that it has extended the Grove Bike Park by about a hectare.

The illegal trail is currently fenced off by Northern Beaches Council while it decides what to do next. A report on the matter is due in October.

Illegal BMX bike jumps created at Seaforth. Picture: Supplied.

Cr Sarah Grattan said the council was alerted to the illegal bike trail after residents heard the sound of power tools and machinery being used.

“Residents heard the felling of trees and power tools being used in the bushland,” she said.

“Big trees had been taken down and smaller trees hacked down.

“We can’t condone the illegal destruction of bushland. It is just not on.”

She said a nearby community garden group had said habitat for wildlife such as black cockatoos had been destroyed.

However, Ms Grattan, also said she met young bike trail users and understood there was a demand for these facilities and that it had been well used during the pandemic.

She said what had been illegally built “was quite amazing”.

Cr Sarah Grattan has spoken to both concerned residents and bike trail users in Seaforth.

Members of the nearby Baringa Bushland Community Group said in a statement they supported the upgrading and maintenance of the authorised BMX bike trail and supported the council’s efforts to liaise with the BMX community to determine its future.

However, garden members said they strongly condemned “the illegal destruction of significant areas of local bush and the loss of habitat, tree canopy and green space, as well as associated erosion and run-off”.

Northern Beaches Council Chief Executive, Ray Brownlee said there needed to be a balance between supporting mountain bike riders across the northern beaches and protecting important bushland.

Northern Beaches Council has fenced off around a hectare of land where an illegal BMX bike trail has been created at Seaforth. Picture: Supplied.

“In this area we have an authorised track for mountain bike use,” he said.

“Unauthorised trail building and destruction of bushland outside this area is a concern for council and our local community and nearby residents.”

He said the council was working with the community near the Baringa Ave and Koobilya St reserves and riders to find a way forward that “provides sustainable opportunities for outdoor bike riding, prevents unauthorised trail building and protects our bushland without the wilful destruction of native bushland”.

The council fenced off the unauthorised bike trails in the area at the end of May to prevent the destruction of bushland and further trail building.