Finish Stromlo Forest Park

Transcript of my supporting speech in the Assembly, in speaking to Ms Clay’s MTB Motion.

2022 10 20 Clay MTB Motion Response Speech 

Madam Speaker, I want to start by thanking Ms Clay for raising this matter in the Legislative Assembly. 

Let me begin by stating that in Ms Clay’s opening Notes in the motion present a very typical story of ACT government inaction. The Stromlo Forest Park masterplan process began way back in 2009, and the ACT Government reconfirmed its commitment to the 2010 masterplan in 2014, yet it is still not completed in 2022. 

Further, I see that, in December 2019, the ACT Government released the Draft Canberra Mountain Bike Report for public consultation, though the final version of the report was not published until 2021, and yet no further commitments have been made in response to its recommendations.  

Also, I see that in October 2020, an ACT Labor election commitment costed for a ‘flow’ style trail from Stromlo Forest Park, to Cotter Recreation Area, with a return climb, which would create a link between the two popular recreation hubs. But that nothing more has come of that.  

And finally, the Parliamentary and Governing Agreement, between Labor and the Greens, included a commitment to “Make Stromlo Forest Park a premier mountain biking destination, by finishing the Stromlo Park Masterplan, implementing recommendations from the ‘Mountain Biking ACT report’ and building a flow trail from Stromlo Forest Park to the Cotter”. 

I want to state that the Canberra Liberals do support the call by Ms Clay on the ACT Government to deliver the Stromlo to Cotter flow trail and to progress the Canberra Mountain Biking Report recommendations, as a priority. These developments will contribute to a better mountain biking environment in the ACT. 

From my consultations with the local mountain biking groups, I recognise the need for, and benefits of, having a single point of contact for mountain biking in the ACT, where mountain bikers can seek information on the progress of work by the ACT Government’s on mountain biking. 

I also support improved processes for consultation with a wide range of mountain bikers,  and regular Stromlo Forest Park users, on proposed changes at Stromlo Forest Park, noting that consultation with other users must be included. 

But I wonder if we will ever see the completion of the Stromlo Forest Park as a premier mountain biking destination. Let me refer to the recent events in the Estimates hearings, where Ms Clay also raised these issues.  

Records of the Estimates hearings on 31 August this year indicate the government’s view that an election commitment is more like a Clayton’s commitment, subject to changing funding needs, and expenditure requirements. 

From the same hearings it was revealing to see that there is another form of commitment – that “a Green’s commitment sits within the Green’s appendix” of the Parliamentary and Governing Agreement thus suggesting that it may not carry equivalent weight. 

Furthermore, it was revealing that a Master Plan is a long-term vision and that it is unrealistic to expect to see any results for at least 2 to 4 years. 

These views do not bode well for the expectation that good progress can be made on urgently needed mountain biking facility upgrades. 

It is patently obvious that investment in mountain biking facilities at Stromlo Forest Park, is no longer keeping up with the needs of regional mountain biking competitors, and the demands of a rapidly growing sport, both locally and nationally. 

There is massive competition from many areas in Australia – most supported by government grants, for new and improved facilities. 

There are plans for major development in the Illawarra escarpment (due in 2023), plans for 155km of trails at Mogo, as part of a bushfire recovery program, Fox Creek in South Australia getting 72km of trails, a feasibility study in Georges Creek NSW to replace numerous illegal trails with an approved facility, new trails at Mt Wellington in Tasmania and improvements at Bunya Mountains in Queensland, Mount Owen in Queenstown Tasmania and at Glenrock near Newcastle. 

Madam Speaker. This is an extensive list of new or improved sites competing with Mt Stromlo as a venue! 

As a result of the short-sighted attitude by this government towards infrastructure development in the ACT, the community is left with few options but to ride away – to other places in Australia. And they do not have far to go to be honest.  

They ride across the border, to Bright, Wangaratta, and the Wodonga areas, mainly because it is brilliant for cycling. They travel to Adelaide, Brisbane, Tasmania – all these places are the current go-to Mountain Bike destinations. And where the bikers go, the cash goes. In tourism dollars, in sponsorship deals and local expenditure because mountain biking equals cash in the economy. 

The biggest and brightest growing star was Tasmania. Here a far-sighted government set their sights on becoming the leading destination for cycle tourism in Australia.  

The Tasmanian government in 2016 developed a clear strategy and vision, showing great leadership and then backed it up with extensive and ongoing funding. 

They set a priority for building Infrastructure – more tracks, routes and trails, by invested $1 million for the St Helens Mountain Bike Trail Network, and $800,000 in the Blue Derby Mountain Bike Trails. 

They set a priority for education and support that leads industry and community development, committing $6 million to establish the Cycle Tourism Fund to make this happen. 

They set, as a priority experience, development plans to position Tasmania, as Australia’s best cycling destination. They did this through a new Tasmanian Cycle Tourism Strategy, with aims to guide the development of Tasmania’s cycling tracks and trails, grow and promote experiences and events, and improve safety for all cyclists. 

They achieved 38,000 visitors in their first year – and that number continues to grow steadily. That is in Tasmania – not Canberra – further growing their visitor economy, drawing more visitors to their State, across many regions, and creating more jobs. 

Instead, the ACT went in the reverse direction several years ago by destroying valuable mountain infrastructure by clearing the Kowen Forest plantations and obliterating trails in the process.   

And now Stromlo. It is unfortunate that this ACT government seems to consider that an initial investment in sporting and recreational facilities in the ACT is sufficient to meet user and community needs for extended periods of time. 

There is a major risk that further tourism opportunities associated with renewed investment in mountain biking facilities at Stromlo Forest Park, and across the ACT, will be impacted by ACT Government inaction. Note my examples of alternative venues provided earlier. These have the potential to divert major events from ACT sites. 

So, what will this government do in response to this motion? Will they continue to ignore the needs of this section of the community – a section that has the potential to grow and bring in tourism dollars, as well as supporting social, health and community values?  

It is only too often that we see the emerging and growing unmet needs for facilities in Canberra. We continue to see the failure of this government in not recognising population growth, and the subsequent expanded interest in sport and recreation is regularly reported by sporting groups, clubs and users. 

My hope is that will the government respond positively to work out ways to engage with the cyclists, to keep the tracks open, to add new infrastructure, produce an ACT Cycling Tourism Strategy, and to fund its development and growth in the ACT. 

How successful can the 5-year marketing plan, as revealed in the late August estimates hearings, be if the facilities are not regularly upgraded. As pointed out above the users will surely go elsewhere – to places where new trials and experiences are far more attractive!  

So, in the context of this motion, I support the call for an urgent update to the Assembly on the implementation of the Stromlo Forest Park masterplan. 

END