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Limited opportunites for mountain biking in the Mahurangi Region look set to change dramatically following plans for the development of a bike park in the Dome Forest that will rival the best in the country.
The yet-to-be-named new mountain bike park will be located on more than 1000ha of land in the Waiwhiu Valley, which comprises 5km of flat valley floor and steeper rises up to Conical Peak.
The plans include provision for about 30km of track, including easy sections for beginners, intermediate-level trails and extreme downhill sections, featuring technical challenges for advanced riders.
The park is the vision of the Dome Valley Mountain Bikers – a subgroup of Auckland Downhill Club.
Spokesperson Graeme Stretch says the group has so far secured a lease for use of the land from private landowner Matariki Forests, $150,000 of funding from Auckland Council and a concept plan showing how the 13 trails will be laid out and their degree of difficulty.
The group also has an agreement with the Department of Conservation (DOC) to use a neighbouring scenic reserve to build even more trails.
“The idea is to have enough trails for people to want to come back and return maybe a couple of times a month,” Graeme says.
The Dome area already has a mountain bike park located north west of Warkworth, but it has a limited life expectancy due to the fact the land will eventually be carved up to create tunnels for the Warkworth to Wellsford motorway.
Moreover, it provides technically difficult trails for hardcore downhill riders only and is less than a fifth of the size of the proposed new park.
Currently, Warkworth riders seeking a more varied riding experience are faced with an hour-long car drive to mountain bike parks at Woodhill or Riverhead.
A feature of the new park is its accessibility. Graeme anticipates many will ride to the park from Matakana, after the Dome Valley Mountain Bikers managed to secure access from a private landowner. This will allow the construction of a trail that will connect the park to the end of Wright Road. Meanwhile bikers from Wellsford will be able to access the park via Wilson Road, an established legal road, which is currently used by foresters. As more trails are built under the auspices of the Matakana Coast Trail Trust, riders will be able to get to the park by bike from other settlements between Puhoi and Mangawhai. Although the new park can be accessed from State Highway 1 via Waiwhiu Road – an advantage in itself – Graeme says the ideal is for locals to be able to bike to the park from their homes or visitors from their hotels or motels.
Graeme says construction of the park is expected to start next year at the conclusion of some Matariki logging operations, and he believes the bulk of the trails and a car park can be built within four to six months at a cost of $750,000.
Graeme says the case for the park is overwhelming. In addition to local population growth, Mahurangi is a major destination for Aucklanders seeking opportunities for leisure and recreation. Thus, the bike park has the potential to contribute millions of dollars to the local economy through tourism.
“A mountain bike park will encourage visitors to stay longer and do more,” he says.
Moreover, Graeme believes the Dome mountain bike park will offer visitors a better experience than even the famed Rotorua Redwood Forest biking trails, thanks to the ability to ride through native bush and enjoy the views from Conical Peak.
He says research shows that cycling is the third most common active recreational activity after walking and swimming – a popularity bolstered by record sales of ebikes, which are encouraging many older people to rediscover the joys of cycling.
Enthusiasts eager to help with with fundraising or business and project management skills for the new bike park should contact Scott Noyes on 021 791 387.
