By ALYSHA HUXLEY
A half million dollar mountain bike park has been proposed for the Latrobe Valley by the Gippsland Mountain Bike Club (GMTB).
Latrobe City councillor Sharon Gibson said the ideal location for the 5.5 hectare course was in the Haunted Hills area, as it was easily accessible from the Princes Highway off the Yallourn exit.
Cr Gibson said the park would benefit the whole Latrobe Valley community by enhancing and supporting business, health and tourism.
“There is a lot of money to be made with tourism, and different mountain bike events can bring thousands ... that books out the whole valley," she said.
"And not just accommodation, there’s food, catering and restaurants…petrol."
The proposal for the bike park was put to council earlier this year by the GMTB, with the council still to make a final decision.
GMTB member and local school teacher Nick King said the club was working on a business case with Destination Gippsland and that they planned to seek funding from local, state or federal sources.
Mr King also said the Latrobe shire was the only one in Gippsland without a mountain biking venue.
“Our [GMTB] main vision was to have Gippsland as a mountain biking mecca to develop tourism opportunities for healthy lifestyles in Latrobe Valley and Gippsland,” Mr King said.
According to an Australian Bureau of Statistics study, bike riding was among the most popular activities nationally.
Mr King said he estimated the bike park would bring an additional 10,000 visitors to the Latrobe Valley each year, and that revenue would increase by up to $3.18 million annually.
“This would be the key piece that attracts people to Gippsland and then from there they start to explore out and about,” Mr King said.
Mr King also said the park would be used for educational purposes in schools and that it would attract major events to the area.
“We are working on Planet Ark plant a tree day to revegetate the previously used council depot … tying in environmental lessons, outdoor lessons, coaching, instruction, fitness and health,” Mr King said.
“I can imagine using the venue for a Tough Mudder,” he said.
The proposed site for the bike park would be located near the Yallourn Cemetery, where a car and motorbike racing track has already been built.
Yallourn Cemetery Trust volunteer Kim Tayler said some members of the community had been opposed to the motor sport track, mainly because of the noise.
Ms Tayler said response to the proposal for a mountain bike park would depend, but that she didn’t feel it would bring any direct benefit to the Yallourn Cemetery or the trust group.