Bike star calls for pay trails

ONE of Australia’s greatestever cyclists believes a userpays system would end the raging debate about the contentious Nerang Forest bike trails.

Tour de France sprint hero Robbie McEwen says the State Government should adopt models used elsewhere in the world where riders pay $30-50 a year to use a national park.

Who should use the Gold Coast forest has been a hotbed issue after the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service removed several illegally constructed downhill trails last month and the State Government recently installed track closure signs.

“What those in charge need to do is look at the reality of the situation and approve more trails,” Mr McEwen said.

“It could be a proper tourist attraction, like seen in parts of the world such as New Zealand, where there are paid permits. It provides an income stream for the forest itself to go towards trail maintenance and keeping everything balanced.

“Everyone who rides there would be happy to pay $30 to $50 a year – times that by the thousands of people who go out there. A little bit of investment will be repaid tenfold.”

Mountain biking is growing in popularity, with Mountain Bike Australia reporting its membership in the five years to 2019 increased 59.7 per cent.

It said trail destinations in Tasmania were attracting more than 30,000 visitors and luring $30 million in revenue every year for the state.

Mr McEwen’s journey to 12 Tour de France races started from riding his bike in the Nerang Forest when he was nine.

The 48-year-old said Nerang Forest was a fantastic resource environmentally and recreationally.

“My view is there should be a lot more approved trails because the volume of people who use the forest is quite large,’’ he said.

“It’s governed by the state and run by Queensland Parks and Wildlife, who have a mission to keep it like it was 40,000 years ago but that’s just not reality.”