Central Victorian Creswick Trails mountain bike project ‘most heavily trespassed’ in contractor Dirt Art’s history

Construction of a multimillion-dollar mountain bike track in central Victoria has been rocked by threats of violence, trespassing and theft.

Hepburn Shire Council says people have been damaging and vandalising the Creswick Trails construction site, as well as illegally felling trees, delaying the track's early opening. Picture: Hepburn Shire Council

Workers building a “world-class” mountain bike trail in central Victoria have been confronted and threatened with violence by timber cutters, with theft, trespassing and illegal tree felling plaguing the multimillion-dollar project.

Building of the 60km and $9.4m Creswick Trails in Creswick, north of Ballarat, once set to host a mountain biking event at the now-cancelled 2026 Victorian Commonwealth Games, started in 2023 and is expected to be completed by the end of 2024.

But ongoing threats of violence directed at staff of contractor Dirt Art, as well clandestine visitors ignoring warning signs, orange flags, and temporary fencing could cause a cost blowout.

Hepburn Shire Council chief executive Bradley Thomas said such behaviour was “one of the biggest risks for the project at the moment, without even mentioning the cost implications of repairs from the damage”.

“This trespassing is causing damage and could lead to injury as the site is an active construction zone and trails signage is not yet in place,” he said.

Additionally, the council has said that illegal tree harvesting has claimed the lives of up to 50 mature native trees on or near the project area.

“Tree fellers drop the trees mostly at night and come back to cut and remove the wood for use as firewood,” it said.

“ … Some of the trees have been felled on partially constructed trails and have damage that will need to be rectified before we can open the trails.”

Cut safety flags along the trails. Picture: Hepburn Shire Council

Dirt Art has said that the site was the “most heavily trespassed” in its whole history of work, adding that in 20 years it had “never had more issues with unauthorised access of our worksites, damage to site security measures, theft of fencing and signage, and damage to unfinished trails”.

In 2023, thieves even made off with an excavator worth some $40,000 and a petrol-powered wheelbarrow, both eventually recovered.

It’s understood that Dirt Art staff have also been confronted and threatened with violence by timber cutters, and that company vehicles have been damaged.

Ride Creswick, a local cycling advocacy group, said it foresaw problems from the beginning.

“Sadly, the project manager from the council was warned that this very thing was going to happen if they did not instigate a staged opening from the very start,” the group wrote online.

“It’s why we have advocated so hard for it to happen, but the more we pushed, the less we were listened to.

The statement ended with: “Sadly, all we can now say is ‘told you so.’”

The council says trees have been felled across partially constructed trails. Picture: Hepburn Shire Council

But Hepburn Shire infrastructure and delivery director Bruce Lucas said the method allowed multiple specialised crews to work in different areas at the same time.

“An approach to stage delivery would likely have required a greater construction period for the overall network,” he said.

“Delivery in a single stage also allows for parallel projects, such as a formalised crossing of Melbourne Road, design of a bespoke suite of signage, installation of signage, in addition the creation of a website and promotional materials.”

Mr Lucas said trespassing had decreased since the shire’s public statements, and that it was “highly likely” a section of the track would open early.