Almost $45m needed across coming decade for new tracks and trails

THE wheels were set in motion for the shire’s $44.3M Tracks and Trails Strategy 2022–2032 and Delivery Plan 2022–2024 which was adopted at last week’s meeting. 

The strategy identifies almost 40 additional trail opportunities throughout the shire, with projects broken into different priorities: High priority ($22.3M), medium priority ($18.1M) and low priority ($3.9M).

High priority trail projects include:

• Wonthaggi to Inverloch Trail

• Woolamai to Nyora Rail Trail Extension

• Coghlan Rd to Redwood Drive

• Rhyll Inlet to Cowes-Rhyll Road

• Ozone St to Goroke St

• Cowes to Ventor Foreshore Trail

Medium priority:

• Coronet Bay to Corinella

• Cape Paterson Loop

• The Esplanade Surf Beach

• Phillip Island Road to George Bass Coastal Walk

• Cowes to Pyramid Rock

Low priority:

• Bass River Trail

• Churchill Road Coastal access

• Berrys Beach Road/ Troutmans Track

Following feedback on the draft, amendments were made including increased weighted criterion scoring for environmental impact in the assessment tool, further clarification focusing on the trail development stages process that articulates trail identification, design, and delivery process, and minor trail realignments and omitted trails in line with Council’s existing documents have been included in the Strategy.

One trail which drew much public attention was the proposed Cowes to Ventnor Foreshore Trail, with two petitions both in support and against lodged with the shire. 

It is noted that all proposed trail locations require further feasibility studies, preliminary design work and community consultation prior to any 
final trail alignment being proposed.

Cr David Rooks queried as to why some routes were ranked higher than others which don’t have connectivity between townships, and how the strategy would deal with this issue.

A council officer responded stating the strategy looks to “create an interconnected network across the whole shire”.

“We don’t want to find a situation where we’re building apartment starts from nowhere that runs to nowhere without being connected,” the officer stated.

Cr Ron Bauer said in light of looking for savings in the capital works program, the shire should “join and fix what we have before looking at new projects”.

“As things stand the most important part of this strategy is to build the missing sections of the Cowes-Rhyll track paying particular attention to the section from Conservation Hill leading into Rhyll,” he said.

“The main bike track from Cowes to San Remo must have at the very least an upgraded pedestrian crossing at Newhaven College, and the track needs to be a shared pathway all the way to San Remo.”

Cr Bauer also highlighted the petition against the Cowes to Ventnor track, stating it should be scrapped due to fears it would destroy foreshore vegetation.

Cr Les Larke supported calls for a trail between Cape Paterson and Inverloch, stating it should be a priority rather than the Wonthaggi to Inverloch inland trail.

“Duplication of tracks and trails is not economic, it’s millions of dollars going into the inland trail that could be prioritised elsewhere in council’s funding, and I won’t be supporting the tracks and trails strategy because of that priority given over the next few years for the inland trail.” 

Council’s Long Term Financial Plan identifies a nominal $1M amount each financial year for the design and delivery of recommendations made in the Tracks and Trails Strategy.  

To apportion this funding in the immediate term, a three-year plan was developed to provide clarity on trails scheduled for advocacy, design, and delivery between 2022 and 2024.

Trails identified for 2022/23 include Guy Road Corinella, Wonthaggi to Inverloch (final design), Cowes to Rhyll, and Woolamai to Nyora. 

The delivery plan will be reviewed annually, and a new plan developed at each four-year period to identify forecast projects in the Tracks and Trails Strategy.

The strategy also highlights Bass Coast has very little public land to accommodate new trails. 

Additionally, a large proportion of the current trail network is located on and managed by other public land managers, such as Parks Victoria and Phillip Island Nature Parks. 

Stakeholders indicated that it will be difficult to connect some parts of the trail network due to private land ownership

Currently there are no formal council developed mountain bike or equestrian trails located on council managed land.