The Manjimup Trail Bike Hub is about to kick up a gear with the announcement of $980,000 funding through the Commonwealth Regional Recovery Partnerships program matched to a $576,500 contribution from the Shire of Manjimup. The Hub aims to position Manjimup as the centre for trail bike riding in Western Australia (and Australia), creating a significant new point of difference catalyst for visitation to the Shire district, and the region.
The funding will set the wheels in motion for the trail planning processes, implementation and commercialisation of the funded project primarily for licenced trail and enduro motorbikes on publicly managed roads. An additional stage may be funded by the private commercial sector and subject to future funding, further stages incorporating unlicensed trail bikes may be introduced based on the outcome of trail planning processes, approvals and the success of the existing project. The completion of funded stages is anticipated to take two and a half years, during which routes on existing trails will be mapped, new trails will be designed and a Trail Bike Centre is built in Manjimup. The project will include extensive consultation with riders and the wider community.
An initial Feasibility Report for the Hub, prepared in 2017, outlined that the Manjimup region is the prime location for Western Australia’s first sustainable trail bike hub. Shire President Paul Omodei stated: “We are very confident that this initiative will be hugely beneficial to our region, both socially and economically. This is why the Shire of Manjimup had already allocated funding and resources to undertake the pre-phase project that included a funding contribution from the South West Development Commission to produce a business case that was used in the successful funding application”.
The Manjimup Trail Bike Hub Inc. will be the driving force behind the implementation of the Hub. Now that funding has been secured, a call will be put out soon by the Manjimup Trail Bike Hub Inc. for interested trail bike riders and the local community to become a member of the association’s executive committee, which will be the driving force behind implementing the first three stages of the hub.
“I would like to thank the Commonwealth Government and the elected representatives Mr Rick Wilson MP and Hon. Nola Marino MP for backing the Shire by funding this project and we look forward to working with all stakeholders to deliver what will be a fantastic regional project” added Mr Omodei.
-ENDS-
Authorised by Andrew Campbell, Chief Executive OfficerContact Sheri Laba, Public Relations Officer
Contact for comment: Paul Omodei, Shire President
Contact: 0448 810 773
