Shepparton bike trails: Riders devastated after council flattens jumps
Bored young Shepparton riders are “heartbroken” their dirt bike jumps have been destroyed by council. The council insists the jumps were a “recipe for paraplegia”, after one rider was injured. But a solution could be on the horizon
Goulburn Valley
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Shepparton’s bike enthusiasts have been left “heartbroken” after council flattened half a dozen “dangerous” dirt jump areas along the Broken River.
The Greater Shepparton City Council cleared an “unauthorised” jump near Lincoln Drive at the Broken River at the beginning of August after community members complained.
But 14-year-old Jake Huddleston said he felt the jumps were safe and the activity had helped him get through the COVID-19 lockdowns.
“There’s a big group of us and we’ve been going since the start of quarantine,” he said.
“We love the adrenaline, freedom and the fitness.”
He said he has felt “heartbroken” and “annoyed” since council removed the jumps adjacent to Wyndham St.
He said he was not sure where him and his friends would ride next.
“It seems unfair,” he said.
“When our dads were younger, they would do the same thing as what we’re doing now.”
But Council’s infrastructure director Phil Hoare said the jumps along the river had become more dangerous in recent months, with an injured rider being taken away by ambulance two weeks ago.
“Everyone thinks these are little humps in the ground, but that’s not what we’re talking about – they’re built by adults” he said.
“Some of these jumps are quite extreme, and if a kid isn’t as competent, it’s a recipe for neck-breaking and paraplegia.”
Mr Hoare said after the jump at Lincoln Drive was removed in August, council was alerted to other jumps along the river by community members and had to respond.
Mr Hoare also said the jumps posed an environmental risk, and once they were levelled, council would revegetate the land.
However, he’d keen to find a solution and said council had opened an Expression of Interest to invite riders to share their input on a “safe” and “reasonable” agreed set of standards for a new area.
“We can do what we can to minimise the risk,” Mr Hoare said.
But Leigh Egan Cycles owner Leigh Egan – who started riding dirt jumps along the river for 30 years – said riders would continue to build jumps until a workable alternative was found.
“These kids are disappointed, and I’ll tell you now, they’ll find something else,” he said.
“I’ve been riding since I was 13 years old, and on and off there have been jumps around there.”
Mr Egan said he had council’s Expression of Interest form in his bike shop and three pages had been fully signed.
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Contact Madi Chwasta at madi.chwasta@news.com.au
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