News: WA Strategic approach with Mountain Biking. (2015)

15-Jun-2015

Outdoors WA is excited to see the development of strategic outdoor recreation planning in WA with mountain biking being one of the first activities to benefit from this approach.

After nearly three years of work, WAMBA and Westcycle are delighted to celebrate the launch of the Western Australian Mountain Bike Strategy - unlocking the potential.

WA Minister for Environment, Albert Jacobs; WAMBA President, Louise Wallace and Westcycle CEO, Matt Fulton fronted the media on Sunday morning at Herdsman Lake to officially launch the Strategy, which provides a clear statewide approach to coordinating and developing mountain biking in Western Australia over the period 2015 – 2020.

Western Australia is the cycling capital of Australia with 23% of people riding a bike compared to a national average of 19%. Mountain biking is one of the State’s fastest growing recreational, sport and tourism activities. Almost 120,000 mountain bikes are bought every year in WA alone. The time is therefore right for a clear statewide approach to coordinating and developing mountain biking in Western Australia. The State has the diverse environments and outstanding scenery to support a thriving mountain biking industry and grow into a world-class mountain bike destination.

“There has been a surge in mountain biking as a recreational activity in recent years. With demand for mountain bike trails and suitable facilities exceeding supply in many areas, the Strategy identifies the gaps and provides a framework for us to fill them” said Louise Wallace, President of WAMBA.

According to WAMBA’s President, the Strategy will enable even more Western Australians and visitors to get riding, and provide a range of high quality and sustainable trails for new and existing mountain bikers to enjoy.