Denmark’s Mt Hallowell mountain bike network plan faces the axe due to environmental concerns

Denmark’s Mt Hallowell mountain bike network plan, which generated polarised responses from the community, could be thrown out due to environmental concerns at the Shire of Denmark’s council meeting on Tuesday. Mt Hallowell — an A Class Reserve 5km south-west of Denmark— was identified as a proposed location for a trail network in the Great Southern Regional Trails Master Plan 2020-2029. The plan features three walking trails, one shared trail, six mountain biking trails, decision points and trail heads, and the existing dieback wash station. At Tuesday’s meeting, Denmark councillors will vote on an officer recommendation to abandon the Mt Hallowell plan and consider alternative sites. Officers have identified two alternative sites — Turner Road and McLean Park— which were not initially considered as options. The Turner Road reserve, about 5km from the town centre, is a gravel extraction pit that the Shire has been revegetating in sections between 1991 and 2017. “The construction of trails in this reserve is not considered to impose a significant detrimental environmental impact,” deputy chief executive officer David King said in the report. The McLean Park area, in the townsite, has several existing trails and does “not hold the same environmental value as Mt Hallowell”, according to the officer report. Denmark Environment Centre’s Bart Lebbing has been calling for the consideration of the Turner Road site. Speaking in July, he said the Turner Road site was suitable because it had “already been impacted by human activity”. According to the Mount Hallowell Trails Concept Plan, Mt Hallowell reserve could be susceptible to environ-mental impacts such as the spread of dieback, domesticated and feral animals, invasive weeds, erosion, and unmanaged access by vehicles, pedestrians and bikes. The reserve is also home to endangered species such as the Baudin’s cockatoos and the vulnerable forest red-tailed black cockatoos. The concept plan also identified culturally significant granite outcrops, which could be avoided by realigning the trail design. The officer report for Tuesday’s meeting said there were “significant concerns around the Mt Hallowell site” from an environmental viewpoint. “While the majority of these concerns are discussed and could be mitigated to some extent, it is accepted that there will be some level of impact on the Mt Hallowell Reserve and native flora and fauna,” Mr King said. “On balance, officers consider the benefits of the development could outweigh the environmental concerns through environmentally sensitive design and management practices. “If no other site is suitable, then the development should proceed with appropriate environmental controls. “However, officers believe that the community benefit can be met with a combination of alternative developments such as the Turner Road site, McLean Park and the Valley of the Giants trail development.” The officer report also discussed several positive outcomes for progressing with the Mt Hallowell plan. “From a recreational viewpoint, the proposed project area provides the best opportunities for mountain bike trail development within the Shire,” Mr King said. “A mountain bike trail network will allow for continued growth and participation in mountain bike activities for the community, including recreational riders and local schools. “The proposed project area provides an opportunity to address local recreational demand for mountain bike trails, evidenced by increasing unsanctioned trail construction in the reserve.” The Denmark Mountain Bike Club was one of the major supporters of the plan. Speaking in July, Denmark MBC vice-president Brad Drummond said it would be a win for the local community and for the growth of the sport. Community consultation started in 2019, and since then, the project area has been expanded from 23ha to 68ha. The Mount Hallowell Trails Concept Plan was released for public comment in June last year. There were 345 responses to the online poll asking whether residents supported a new trail network in the Mt Hallowell Reserve, with 63 per cent supportive, 36 per cent against and one per cent neutral. Of the 561 submissions via e-mail, hard copy or the online platform, 31 per cent were in support, 68 per cent against and one per cent neutral. The concept plan estimated the cost of the project at $1,091,760, with an additional $5000 to $10,000 per year for management and maintenance. Officers have recommended that council not progress with the next stages of the Mt Hallowell Mountain Bike Trail, instead requesting the chief executive to consider the development of mountain bike trails at the Turner Road site. Councillors will also vote on incorporating a trail network in the Berridge Park concept planning process in the 2022-23 budget, with consideration for expansion through to McLean Oval.