FEBRUARY 2018 - SKILLS PARK & PUMP TRACK

Thanks to funding from the Tasmanian Community Fund, a new skills park has been constructed and a pump track is under construction at the Clarence Mountain Bike Park. Dirt Art is constructing the pump track and Next Level MTB constructed the skills park, with construction of stage 2 due to start in March 2018.

Clarence City Council received funding from the Cycle Tourism Fund in February 2018 to construct 3 new tracks in the Meehan Range including a blue/black descent off Simmons Hill to Stringybark Gully, a green climbing/descending track from the end of Stringybark to the skyline trail and extend the Corkscrew Climb to the skyline so the Corkscrew Descent can be made single direction. The funding allows for the construction of a new carpark and shelter by the skills park, as well as to complete stage 2 of the skills park. The xc loop will receive some attention to the green and blue lines to make them more appealing.

Council engaged Dirt Art to construct a link track from Flagstaff Hill to connect to Caves Hill which was constructed at the end of January 2018 but needs some rain before it will be ready to ride on. Mtn Trails were engaged to construct the K's Choice green circle track which will provide a link from the xc loop to the skyline fire trail. Work commenced in February 2018 and the track should be complete by late March/early April 2018. 

Council will be installing toilets in 2018. The planning involved has been complex and has delayed the project. A new map board sign will be installed at the Clarence Mountain Bike Park carpark in February.

September 2015 - New track work 

As part of the 2015/16 works program for the Clarence Mountain Bike Park, work has commenced on converting the downhill track to an all mountain descent track (see photo - right). As there is no shuttle access to the top the Clarence Mountain Bike Committee decided the track should be converted into something more appropriate for the user group and terrain.

Additional works in the park include:

• New sections on the XC loop track to bypass trickier bits so that the tracks closest to the carpark are accessible for entry-level riders.
• The Corkescrew Track is being extended to the Meehan Skyline Fire Trail. This will bypass the rough and steep section of fire trail that heads into the CMBP.

Council has signed a licence agreement for the public to use authorised tracks on Hansens Quarry land. Signage is starting to go up on these tracks including the Big Hill bypass and Stringy Bark Gully Track. A new track is currently being constructed on Hansens land that will form part of the Caves Hill Track.

Riders are requested to keep off the tracks being constructed so they're not ruined. Meehan Range Trail Groomers will be organising volunteer days for grooming the new tracks. Contact them via Meehan Range Trail Groomers Facebook page.

February 2015 - new signage

Council has installed new trail head signage at the main park entrance which should make it easier for visitors and first time users to find trails appropriate to their skill level. This is the first stage of signage implementation, with more signage planned at intersections along existing tracks in the park. Tracks named so far are:

• Smooth as Butter - a beginners loop
• Corkscrew Climb & Descent - built by a Green Corps team and Dirt Art, this is an intermediate level track but requires good fitness and skill to tackle steep tight curves to reach the top of the range.
• XC loop - an easier intermediate level track

A draft Meehan Range Mountain Bike Strategic Plan is being developed to guide future track development in the Meehan.. It will be released for public consultation later in the year.

April 2014 updates - Volunteer and Caretaker Program

We have recently been working on the trails at Clarence MTB park and have logged about 60 volunteer hours in the last month. Dirt Art has opened the new realignment of the Greencore descent and it is a vast improvement..... We will will see how it hold up but there may be a few small adjustments and some armouring/paving required.This week we headed out to upgrade the four large descending switch backs going around towards the highway.  This was completed with rocks and ruts removed and a slight adjustment to make them more suitable to beginner intermediate riders.  Next we will turn our attention to Belbins and then Stringy Bark Gully.

December 2013 updates - hobart trail groomers

Stringy Bark Gully Track - Hobart Trail Groomers will be installing some decking and a small bridge and giving it a groom before Xmas.

The climb out of Belbin's will be realigned - we will be upgrading the Belbins climb to the top where it joins the climb we put in winter 2012 and tidying up the climb we did 2012 , its the one that heads toward the birthday loop out the back. The birthday loop will be added to so that it joins the top of the stringy bark creek track. All of the above trail is on private land and we have approval.

In Clarence we will be grooming the new bits out towards the top of the hwy once dirt Art has cut the trail and most of that will be over this summer period.

We also have the new climb/descent at clarence to touch up and then clean up the fire trails above and another piece of single track or two to finalise the Meehan Range Marathon Loop.

Signage boards are now up at both Clarence and Belbins trail heads and we will have info in there shortly...

please spread the word to anyone that would like to get involved - remember we have lots of tools and we welcome anyone who wants to help.... We will be posting all times and dates on the face book page (hobart trail groomers) for volunteer session. If you are really keen we may be able to grant you access to working when it suits you and or your friends....just let us know....

Lastly we are still pushing for signage on the trails intersections in the range and should not be too far off.

2011 updates

June 2011. A Green Corp Team managed by Dirt Art is developing a fresh 2km singletrack loop. The project involves teaching trail building and conservation knowledge to a group of youths on a Newstart allowance. The trail itself will be a flowing, gentle climb up a mossy gully, followed by a fast, flow-down descent back into the main park area. The up route of the trail will also provide a much-needed link to the summit of the Meehan Range.

Jun 2010. A new access track has been constructed from the car park off Flagstaff Gully Link Rd in Mornington to the park. It provides a more attractive and better quality route into the park.

The park was officially opened on Saturday 28 November 2009 by Mayor Jock Campbell and contains dirt jumps, mountain cross, dual slamon, downhill and a cross country track. To view a map of the park see Clarence Council website.

Jan 08. Anyone who is interested in plans for a mountain bike facility on Hobart's eastern shore should come along to a meeting on Wednesday 6 February at the Rosny library. The meeting will be held in meeting room 1 at 6.00pm. A plan of the proposed mtb park at Mornington will be presented and feedback will be sought from everyone who attends. Council has allocated $50,000 in the 2007/08 budget for the development of a mountain bike park.