It was smiles all round at the opening of two new trails at Bennett’s Forest Reserve in the Adelaide Hills in early July. The sun came out along with 40-odd riders and delegates from Forestry SA to experience the new trails built by Gravity Enduro SA and an army of volunteers. Sources: Responsible Timber, Kate Holbrook Gravity Enduro SA
It’s been a tough couple of years for the mountain bike community in the Adelaide Hills with bushfires and then the COVID pandemic. Still, through the community’s resilience and support from Forestry SA and local businesses, things are starting to look up.
“With the race season (and life in general) looking uncertain in 2020, we were feeling restless,” said Kate Holbrook.
“We seized the opportunity to build some new trails and help maintain the momentum that mountain biking in South Australia had experienced in recent years,” she added.
More than 40 riders and delegates from Forestry SA experience the new trails built by Gravity Enduro SA and an army of volunteers.
Up until 2015, Bennett’s Forest Reserve had been the home of a popular downhill trail until it was destroyed by a bushfire. At that time, a couple of local legends had the foresight to identify a trail alignment and work with Forestry SA to have the plantation planned around it so that the trail could be built once the plantation had grown.
In 2020, with the trees over 6ft tall, Forestry SA was approached to gain approval to build the trail. With a renewed organisational focus on recreation, Forestry SA was very supportive. Soon weekends were spent working away in the forest. The team had never built trails before, so it was a steep learning curve.
Building trails by hand is tough, time-consuming work. Especially when there are limited natural features. Close to 10 tonnes of rock was used in the trail to support jumps, drops and berms.
Luckily, grant funding was secured from Responsible Wood and further financial support from Forestry SA for the second trail to be cut by machine.
As a result of 800 hours of volunteer labour, and collaborations with Lighthouse Youth Project and Heroes on the Homefront, there are now two great trails at Bennett’s Forest Reserve and plans for up to five more trails.
All photos and video supplied by Fletcher Media.
View the video at https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pC71hr2B91I
