The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) plans and builds trails using the 8-stage Western Australian Trail Development Process. This process ensures that trails are well planned and that there is appropriate consideration and protection of environmental, cultural, social and economic values and that any trails built are safe and sustainable.
Communities or individuals who want new trails constructed must engage with the local land manager and be prepared to work through the trail development and approval process. User built trails that do not follow the trail development process are illegal, may impact a range of values, be unsafe and will be removed.
User built trails that are constructed without approval are often reported to DBCA by park visitors or other trail users. When DBCA become aware of illegally constructed trails, signs are erected notifying users that the trails have been constructed without approval and that they will be removed.
Recently, some illegally constructed mountain bike trails in Beelu National Park were closed and will be rehabilitated by DBCA. No planning or approval was sought before construction of these trails and they have caused significant impact to the surrounding national park environment. They were also poorly constructed, had no or inappropriate signage and posed significant risks to trail users. The illegal trail builders had cut down trees, removed vegetation and negatively impacted on granite outcrops in an area where threatened flora has been recorded. The trail has also been constructed within a drinking water catchment and registered Aboriginal site.
Illegally constructed trails can do significant damage to the reputation of trails and trail users, in this case mountain bikers and mountain biking trails. These illegal trails are also not necessary as they are adjacent to the Kalamunda Trail Network of 44 mountain bike trails totalling nearly 55km.
DBCA and the Kalamunda Mountain Bike Collective (KMBC) volunteers already face significant challenges to manage and maintain this very popular mountain bike trail network. The Cook Government has also recently announced a $3 million investment in the Kalamunda mountain bike trail network, to improve and where agreed, grow the trail network. Illegal trails that require closure and rehabilitation also dilute the limited resources available for trail management and maintenance.
It should also be noted that in the last 5+ years, hundreds of kilometres of new, purpose-built mountain bike trails have been constructed in Western Australia, with more trails in planning and under construction. Illegally built trails undermine the good work done by individuals, communities and government to create a well planned and managed network of trail opportunities for all trail users.
