This is an open letter to Northern Beaches Council and NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and state government and anyone else that wants to listen:

Trail walkers, runners, mountain bikers, bird watchers, photographers and kids from 2-102 all have the right to have trails in the bush to enjoy the sport they love and to be able to enjoy the outdoors, get some exercise and just have fun. The bush and NATURE is there for everyone. Yes I want to see land protected from too much industry development but when does this protection go too far?

We like to ride gravity fed natural single tracks. We want to be able to enjoy the bush by going on really long epic rides deep into the bush to see things you don’t normally see close to the road yet there is nothing like this on the northern beaches that is legally built.

Mountain biking has really been evolving over the last few years into what it is today and how people ride and expect trails to be. People want to combine all aspects of riding, down hill, single track, jumps, long distances and technical natural features. This style of riding is called ENDURO. Events are happening all over Australia and people travel from everywhere to compete in them or to spectate yet there is nothing on the northern beaches to even practice and prepare for these events. Trail systems like this in other parts of the country are producing the champions of the future. There are world cup winning athletes from places like the central coast and Canberra because these areas have had trails like this for these people to grow up on riding. Kids these days do not have enough options to get them out side being active and off their video games. If kids don’t like surfing or footy they really miss out

We have now started a club of bike riders that in less that a year has grown to over 250 registered members and a social following of over 2000 people. These people are all keen to have some where locally on the beaches to ride these kinds of trails. We all want to live here because of the amazing nature yet there really is no way for us to all enjoy it.

I as a member of the community and of the Garigal Gorillas Mountain bike club would love the opportunity to talk to anyone that is willing to listen about this further..

We have thousands of mountain bikers and trail users on the northern beaches and no where enough formalised trails to keep up with the demand.  A group in the community have been working together over many years to make some of the best and very sustainable trails that cater to a very neglected group in the area. By formalising these trails you will give the area a trail network that rivals some of the very best in our country. The trails will serve as a place to exercise, train and enjoy nature on a bike.  We will be able to hold events in the area and draw people from all over the country and the world that will want to ride these trails.