Bushwalk Australia

This looks like a very interesting and potentially clever use for the old Forestry site above Maydena.



There are more details at http://www.maydenabikepark.com, but it looks like they are planning a range of downhill tracks from the Eagles Eyrie site (1100m) down to Maydena, with a shuttle bus to take riders to the top. I've got nothing at all to do with this proposal, and am only an infrequent mountain biker. But I have been to the Eyrie - a few years back - and it seemed criminal that it wasn't being used much. The views from the top are great, the forest below is pleasant, but hardly pristine. It looks like a good way to create jobs in a depressed area.

What would clinch the overall tourism value for me would be if they - or someone else - also opened a rail trail from (say) MONA to beyond Maydena, using the old Derwent Valley Railway line. Then you'd have a broad appeal cycling region, close to Tassie's wilderness, with a need for accommodation, food and lots of other tourism services. It's the kind of development that completely revitalised NZ's Central Otago.

cheers

Peter

Great idea. I'm not too sure about the commercial viability of such an operation though..I guess it'd need to be seasonal/part time.

Agreed doogs - time will tell whether it stacks up commercially. The mountain bike trails in the Derby/Blue Tier area seem to have really taken off, but their advantage may be that they allow through-travel, and are spread over a wider area.

That's one reason for suggesting a "MONA to Maydena Rail Trail", and linking a few cycling experiences with walks and wilderness. It'll need a variety of regional attractions to hold people for more than a few hours. We shall watch with interest,

cheers

Peter

Getting tourist trains on the line would be brilliant. This was an annual trip for us in high school - down to National Park with a short stroll into Mt Field. It's a superb little rail journey along the river.
And it would hopefully mean that Roberts Rd would be kept open which would make access to Abbotts & Marriotts so much easier.

Yes - it WAS a great train ride nnw. However I've heard there will be no more tourist trains because (a) the fire risk from sparks is too high, and (b) the track needs a lot of very expensive repair/maintenance work. I've also heard the Derwent Valley Rail Preservation Society (?) is still fighting for it, and they have influential friends ... but imho a Rail Trail would be a better long term prospect.

cheers

Peter

doogs wrote:Great idea. I'm not too sure about the commercial viability of such an operation though..I guess it'd need to be seasonal/part time.

It will smash it.

MTB tourism is massive. MTB tourists also actually spend money.

DirtArt are one of the best in the game, both in Oz and internationally. They have some of the best insight into MTB economics of anyone out there. Obviously designing and building is different to designing, building and operating but these guys will not be doing it without some solid, solid understanding of the economics, and what attracts MTB tourism.

I can't wait.

Re the link with rail trails - I love rail trails but a very, very, very different market segment to what is proposed to be built at Maydena.



vs

I like the rail trail idea and similar for biking. '
Bikepacking' is becoming popular. In a similar vein, the southern section of the Tas trail could get more use in the extraction of low impact tourism $'s / high on nature interaction.

climberman wrote:Re the link with rail trails - I love rail trails but a very, very, very different market segment to what is proposed to be built at Maydena.



vs

Agreed - the riders who will go Maydena don't do much pedalling.