Hunter Mountain Bike Association (HMBA) and Lake Macquarie City Council have opened a new development trail at Awaba Mountain Bike Park, in Cooranbong.
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The development trail is a specially designed track that enables wider community access to the beauty of Lake Macquarie's forests.
The trail will accommodate riders of all abilities including beginner riders, young children, and riders with a disability.
The new trail was funded by the state government in association with the council, Hunter Mountain Bike Association, and Forestry Corporation of NSW.
Lake Macquarie mayor Kay Fraser said the new community asset was the result of a collaborative effort involving a number of stakeholders to provide Australia's first mountain bike trail purpose built for the entire community to use.
"Lake Macquarie has a strong offering of active sports tourism and cultural experiences and this new trail provides even more opportunity for visitors to discover our city's adventurous side," Cr Fraser said.
This new trail provides even more opportunity for visitors to discover our city's adventurous side
- - Cr Kay Fraser
Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW John Barilaro congratulated Hunter Mountain Bike Association and the council on the trail which he said was funded with the help of a $450,000 grant from the Stronger Country Communities Fund.
"I'm delighted to congratulate the Lake Macquarie community on this new development trail which will give more people living locally the chance to get outdoors and get active while enjoying the spectacular natural beauty of this region," Mr Barilaro said.
"Communities are seeing real results from the investments this NSW Government made last term, in this case, it's the addition of quality sports infrastructure that will give local youth a place to recreate and that will attract tourists who go on to spend at local cafes and shops.
"The now $400 million Stronger Country Communities Fund has been a huge hit in regional NSW and it is transforming community spaces but also providing a much-needed stimulus to regional towns and cities."
When complete, the Mountain Bike Park development will include a new all-abilities gravity trail, an all-mountain trail, a flow trail and upgrades to signage and trail features (bridges, shade structures, seating and trail heads), maintaining the Awaba facility as Lake Macquarie's world class mountain biking jewel, a spokesperson for Hunter Mountain Bike Association said.
HMBA has also launched a project to purchase six electric 'adaptive bikes'. These three- and four-wheel bikes would be used primarily by people who find it difficult or impossible to ride a conventional mountain bike.
HMBA is seeking $196,210 in state government funding for the initiative through the My Community Project scheme in which votes in each state electorate determine which projects win funding.
- Visit mycommunityproject.service.nsw.gov.au.
