Wyndham City Council: Point Cook kids beg for mountain bike tracks

A western suburbs council has gone to extreme lengths to stop a group of mountain-bike loving kids from creating their own tracks and jumps.

Point Cook kids in the City of Wyndham are begging for a mountain bike park as a safe place to have harmless fun after council workers went to great lengths to ruin improvised jumps and tracks across the region.

A Melbourne council has left a group of mountain bike-loving teens deflated after flattening their improvised jumps and placing boulders in the middle of their homemade tracks.

The Point Cook teens took to making their own tracks and jumps after they found new playgrounds and parks built by Wyndham City Council were not tailored to their age group.

Not all locals, however, have been thrilled with their antics as mounds and tracks were built near busy parks and playgrounds.

This disapproval prompted the council to send in heavy machinery to Bayview Park and Alamanda Estate to install boulders and flatten dirt jumps.

Harry, 13, of Point Cook with his mates near the Alamanda Estate where the council placed boulders to stop the path from being used by mountain bikes.

Aaron Marsh, whose 13-year-old son Harry was one of the kids left disappointed by the council’s decision to demolish the makeshift tracks.

“My biggest concern with the new developments popping up around Wyndham is that none of the facilities tailor to youth,’’ Mr Marsh said.

The council has got loads for young kids but I don’t think young teens are interested in swings and slides.

“They’re not in touch with the community’s need and I think crushing dirt jumps and crushing dreams is not the right approach.”

Boulders were placed inside ramps and across bike paths that had formed to prevent the boys riding their bikes at Point Cook’s Bayview Park. Picture: Nilsson Jones

Mr Marsh is among several parents who now take the teens on road trips to Ballarat, The You Yangs, Anglesea and Maribyrnong to use mountain bike tracks.

He said when the boys first approached Point Cook state Labor MP Mathew Hilakari they were optimistic as he was eager and suggested meeting at a potential location for a mountain bike track.

That offer was soon withdrawn as Mr Hilakari’s office informed the boys they would need to lodge a petition to the council instead.

Mr Marsh said while there is plenty of spots across Point Cook for young children, teens are left to play video games or loiter at shopping centres. Picture: Nilsson Jones

Harry and his mates were not deterred and have since collected more than 100 signatures calling on the council to build a dedicated mountain bike track in Point Cook.

The council was asked why it demolished the jumps and placed the boulders on the tracks but did not directly answer questions.

Instead, a council spokeswoman said its 2045 Sports Strategy did not include a provision for mountain bike jumps.

“We will review how other councils across the state provide mountain bike facilities and consider if any of those models would be suitable for Wyndham,” she said.

Mr Hilakari’s office was approached for comment but did not meet deadline.