Community & Business
22 May, 2024
Cycling to be ‘million-dollar earner’
CYCLING tourism could generate millions of dollars for the Tablelands in the future, according to a new 10-year strategy that provides a pathway to elevate visitation to the region to the next level.
Tablelands Regional Council’s blueprint shows how to grow cycling tourism in the region - whether that be mountain biking, road riding or gravel riding - primarily through creating an interconnected network of biking trails across the Tablelands, linking the Atherton Forest Mountain Bike Park with all other trails.
Tableland Cycle Sports, which maintains the tracks within the popular bike park, is excited about the new draft strategy, saying it is the foundation for the future development of a trail network that could attract world-renowned cycling events.
Cycle Sport president Bret Piccone and founding member and secretary David Prete believe the draft document will be crucial in their efforts to elevate the mountain bike tracks to a more “competitive standard”.
After years of advocating for increased council support for cycling tourism, Mr Piccone and Mr Prete are relieved to see their vision finally taking shape as they move forward with their plans.
“We have a pretty clear vision and idea of what the park could be, and we have been chipping away at it for quite a number of years, and the strategy now formalises it and ties it all together,” Mr Prete said.
“It will formalise the fact that the region sees the benefit of cycling, and the mountain bike park has bubbled up in it as a high-priority area. It is the catalyst for it, and once they get the (park) right, all other cycling will follow.
“At the moment, apart from gravel riding, which is really popular right now, mountain biking is really a drawcard for Australia and across the world, and people are searching for well-developed trails and facilities – it really attracts a lot of cashed-up cyclists who will stay in the area for a decent amount of time.”
Calling for a “top up, not a set up”, Mr Piccone said the trails, which are maintained by his group and Queensland Parks and Wildlife, have been due for an upgrade for quite some time, and is pleased to see the expansion of the trails as a “priority and a short-term, ongoing” project.
“A lot of new places are starting from ground zero, whereas we have it all here, and we are already halfway up the ladder,” he said.
“So this strategy is really going to tie everything together and it is what the State Government will look for if we ever go for funding.”
World-renowned cycling events are also on the draw cards for the mountain bike park, with the strategy’s action plan highlighting the essential upgrades needed to host them in the region.
Tour of the Tropics, the Croc Trophy and Crankworx were some of the events prioritised by the strategy and step one to this goal is expanding the 55km trails to over 100km.
“The trails need to be pretty schmick for these competitors so that is why we have been trying to convince council for quite some time to look at us more,” Mr Prete said.
“We, as a group of volunteers, can maintain the park as it is but we need the council’s backing to make this a million-dollar earner.
“One of the first things the government ask you (when applying for grants) is ‘do you have a strategy in place?’ and now council can say they do, and this is where mountain biking fits in.”
Within the strategy’s action plan, all of the rail trails across the Tablelands will also receive an upgrade as they prepare to ultimately connect them all together.
Cycling hubs will also be established in each township, while safe and accessibly trails will be constructed between major tourism hot spots.
Deputy Mayor Dave Bilney said he was proud to see the strategy well underway and hoped it would help improve the cycling community as a whole.
“The strategy responds to the growing popularity of cycling in our region and recognises the role cycling has in the health and wellbeing, economic, tourism and social benefits of our community,” he said.
“Once complete, the strategy will help with our long-term planning and support community groups’ applications for funding.”
Locals wanting to view the draft strategy and give feedback by 31 May by going to www.trc.qld.gov.au/project/tablelands-region-cycling-strategy-2023-34/
