Update 16 February:
The Mountain Bike Park is currently CLOSED.
Picnic Gully and the Oak Forest Camp Ground are also currently CLOSED.
We're extremely grateful for the MTB community's generosity in donating money into our trail maintenance fund. So far we have received something over $5,000. This money will be well spent as part of park recovery and reopening.
There are legitimate reasons for the La Larr Ba Gauwa Mountain Bike Park being closed to the public at this time. The park adjoins Mt Alexander Regional Park, a very large proportion of which has been burnt and is still considered by FFMV and DEECA as an active fire ground.
As the fire ground is yet to be assessed by those authorities for damage and recovery, access to La Larr Ba Gauwa is still unavailable to us.
We are working with FFMV and DEECA on a time frame for assessment and gaining access. We will update and communicate as soon as we have this confirmed.
We also have to be mindful of the priority for Harcourt and surrounds regarding bushfire recovery. We are lucky to have a MTB park to rehabilitate while many in our community have lost houses, possessions and livelihoods.
On a negative note, we did have people camping and riding trails on the past few weekends.
Any time required to manage people not doing the right thing takes time from DEECA and the CoM focusing on getting the park reopened.
Thank you to all those reaching out with offers of help. Once we know what we need and when we can start recovery activities we will be in touch.