There is a lot of history at OMV. Here is some background for you. This is way back in 2003! Plenty has changed since then including new trails, North Connex closing the park for a while and the current day which provides one of the best days out near the Sydney CBD and accessible by train.
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After years persistent campaigning by Sydney mountain bikers, the tide may finally be turning in favour of those crying out for more singletrack in Australia’s biggest city.Hornsby council unveiled stage one of its new mountain bike park in Old Man’s Valley (OMV) in early February to an invite-only group of people who were involved in the development of the trail. After years of planning, negotiation, building, preparation and assessing, riders were finally allowed to sample the dedicated mountain bike trail, which is located roughly 25 kilometres from the CBD.
While the trail was only 3.2 kilometres in length at the time of opening (there’s more to come), the Synergy Trails-built loop is packed with enough features to keep a wide range of riders satisfied. Stage two will add another 2.3 kilometres and is scheduled for a mid-2013 opening.
Currently there are green runs for those on their first ever ride on dirt, blue (intermediate) and black (advanced) runs. Trail features include rocks, skinnies, rollers, jumps, board rides and bermed corners.
It may be hard to imagine for those living in cities that already have numerous places to ride but trail-building progress has been slow in Sydney. Prior to OMV opening the only formalised purpose-built singletrack was at Manly Dam or Mount Annan Botanical Gardens. For many, going for a ride also entailed going for a much longer drive.
The fact that the OMV trail has come into existence at all is exciting news for lots of Sydney riders, and hopefully it’s a sign of things to come.
Development by Demand
The need for suitable mountain biking facilities became apparent to Hornsby Council in 2008 after community consultation made the demand clear. The trail becoming a rideable reality did not happen easily, with resistance from a small group of local residents as well as those opposed to the trail for perceived environmental reasons. Funding also needed to be sourced.
Like in many places around Australia, people rode informally in the Hornsby Shire for years without legal restrictions, and without consideration that they would one day be subject to them.
But that day did come, and from a group of riders understanding the need for legal, sustainable trails, the Hornsby Shire Mountain Bike Alliance (HSMBA) was formed in 2008. HSMBA was never a club, more of an umbrella group representing an assortment of riders demanding a place to ride in Sydney’s north.
The group made it their business to frequently talk with land managers, as well as organising targeted letter writing to those who could be of influence. But they didn’t simply demand a place to ride. They were also proactive in finding solutions, and were prepared to work hard to build the trails if required.
The objective of HSMBA was to get a track, and get a track they did. As a measure of their success and an indication of their future direction, HSMBA became Sydney North Off Road Cyclists (SNORC), an MTBA/IMBA affiliated club. This reflected the need for a more social element in addition to the advocacy efforts that defined the group previously.
The results of HSMBA and SNORC’s work can now be ridden and enjoyed, but the process was anything but easy.
Ignorance the Enemy
According to SNORC President Campbell King, the biggest obstacle in the path of formalised trails in the Hornsby Shire area was a collective misunderstanding of what mountain biking is, and what mountain bikers need.
“When campaigning for trails in Hornsby began, there was only an out-of-date National Parks (and Wildlife Services) cycling policy and no clear understanding of what is appropriate to build. There were major misconceptions about the sport, the impact of trails and our demographic,” said Campbell.
“And while there are some environmental groups who understood who we were, there were many who refused to see the scientific evidence that points to the impact of riding being on par with hiking, and (they) campaigned against us.
“In the end, my role was all about making the bogey man disappear. We made it our work to spread the word that mountain biking is such a healthy, positive thing, and to address the ignorance surrounding it.”
