Creswick Trails Stage One maps and design released

Published on 10 March 2021

From 8 March through to 21 April, Council will engage the community in a conversation about the Creswick Trails Network Stage One design.

It has released the final Stage One trails map, a suite of reports detailing how the cultural, historical and ecological heritage of the area has been considered and documents showing how feedback from previous rounds of community engagement has been used to progress the trails design.

These documents also form the basis of the planning permit application that will be lodged this month (March 2021)  to construct Stage One Trails. Once constructed, the Creswick Trails Network will offer a continuous network of mountain bike trails set in a variety of landscapes.

Mayor, Cr Lesley Hewitt, said that once complete, the Creswick Trails Network will offer a high-quality mountain bike network suitable for adaptive riding, families and a variety of local riding experiences.

“As part of our community engagement on the draft or Concept Trail Alignments in early 2020, we heard that some in the community had concerns about the potential impacts of the trails on the natural environment, particularly in the Regional Park. Others said they wanted the trails network built as soon as possible. This feedback, in addition to detailed assessments, have led to changes being made to the project,” said Cr Hewitt.

In preparing for submitting a planning permit, the trails in the Creswick Trails Network have been assessed by ecologists, cultural historians, heritage advisors and traditional owners to determine a route with the highest quality experience and the lowest impact.

Some changes have been made to the Creswick Trails Network as a direct result of community feedback and site-based assessments.

These changes include:

• Due to the sensitivity and complexity of the lands in the project area, the Creswick Trails Network will be constructed in two stages, with Stage One being a network of 60 kilometres of diverse and exciting trails north of Melbourne Road.

• Only Stage One will progress to planning permit application at this time. This will allow Council to progress part of the network more quickly while more work is done on the Stage Two trails.

• Trails have been removed from the area around Cosgraves Reservoir due to the ecological significance of the land as a vegetation offset area and the area's use for potable water supply.

• Trails that pass closest to the Humbug Hill heritage area have been placed in Stage Two and will be the subject of future assessment and engagement. Please visit www.creswicktrails.com/progress to view the maps and documents and learn how you can get involved.