This document outlines Pines Trail Alliance’s plans for the continuing redevelopment and ongoing maintenance of the Majura Pines trail network. This document is a living document and will be updated as final details are refined.

Majura Pines Trail Plan 2019

Version 4.0 Majura Pines Trail Alliance

Overview

Majura Pines have been designated a recreation area by the ACT Government. The volunteer group, Majura Pines Trails Alliance (MPTA), has been tasked with the redevelopment and maintenance of the trail network within the recreation area. The key downhill and beginners’ trails were built under contract by Jindabyne Landscaping in 2015.

This document outlines MPTA’s plans for the continued development of the trail network and ongoing trail maintenance. This document is a living document and will be updated as final details are refined.

MPTA will be working within the parameters of the Majura Pines Recreation Concept Master Plan adopted by the ACT Government.

Principles

Where possible:

• All trails should be hand-cut

• Existing old trails (i.e. pre- and forest thinning) should be retained, recovered and updated to IMBA standards as necessary

• XC trails should be rideable in both directions to maximise the limited space available in Majura Pines,

• Existing natural features and terrain, such as rocks, tree roots and gullies, should be incorporated into trail design.

• Majura Pines should be challenging to ride. Trails will be graded as follows:

o Beginners’ trail – IMBA green

o Main XC loop – IMBA blue or green

o Other XC trails – IMBA blue or black

o DH trails – IMBA black or double black

Majura Pines remains a working pine forest and will be logged in the future. As such, trails should be built to be sustainable but should not unnecessarily be over-engineered.

Governance

MPTA is a collective of volunteers operating as a Parks and Conservation Services (PCS) Landcare group and is covered by the appropriate insurance.

Logging Schedules

In May 2017 MPTA were informed of the ACT Parks and Conservation Service forestry plans for the Majura Pines. The schedule would see the vast majority of the trees removed in two stages; winter 2017 and three years later in 2020-21. Whilst recognising that Majura Pines is a working forest and that there is a safety consideration, we believed this schedule

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was not indicative of that laid out in the Majura Pines Master Plan and not reflective of the popularity and success of the Majura Pines trails since they were re-opened.

MPTA were successfully able to renegotiate a revised schedule that better reflects both the Master Plan and the value of the trails. The first stage of this new schedule saw only the badly storm damaged compartments C, E, F and K logged in during the 2018 winter. PCS have committed to allowing significant regrowth to establish a usable canopy in the cleared compartments before the next round of logging commences in approximately 5 years.

All future MPTA work will take this logging schedule in to consideration and some of our energies will likely be involved with restoring trails to compartments once they have been logged.

Implementation

Volunteer trail days are held regularly, generally on Sunday mornings, to maintain and build trails.

Trail planning site meetings will be held in advance by the MPTA steering group to mark out proposed trail alignment.

Promotion

The Majura Pines MTB trails, MPTA and the MPTA trail work will be promoted via:

• Website – http://www.majurapines.org

• Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/majurapines

• Volunteers’ e-mail group via [email protected]

• Instagram – @majurapines

• Signage at the major entrances into Majura Pines.

Work completed in the period 2014-15

• The DH trails and XC trails in compartments A to C (Winery Hill) and M to N (Boy Wonder area) have been completed by Jindabyne Landscaping

• The main XC loop through the central corridor of compartments E to K and into L to N have been completed by MPTA volunteers

• The beginners’ trails and pump track/skills area to the east of Majura Parkway have been completed by Jindabyne Landscaping

Work completed in the period 2015-16

• The resurrection (in spirit) of the New Year’s Resolution / Car Body / Auto Alley trails (compartment G) as a challenging technical (IMBA black) XC trail

• Drainage work and realignment to complete Black Betty in compartment G

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• The construction of Shark Island in compartment K and resurrection of Whammy in compartment L

• The construction of Pooklestein in compartment K. This trail has now had to be closed due to storm damage

• The construction of Rock Block, a two way technical XC trail, in the NE corner of compartment A

• Magic Roundabout realigned to separate it from Bombora to minimise any conflicts between the fast Bombora and slower Magic Mushroom

Work completed in 2017

• The construction of a bridge, and harder A line bridge, around the dam at the south of Bogs & Logs as a Technical Trail Feature and to bridge very wet ground. Materials were kindly donated by Monkey Wrench Cycle Repairs of Hackett

• The construction of Wonder Woman, a two way XC trail, that connects to Boy Wonder

• The construction of Point Brake, a challenging gully run trail that runs just to the south of Rock Lobster in compartment M

• The addition of Johnson, which provides a wet weather alternative to Lincoln and a better link from the descending trails in compartment M back in to the XC network. It is intended that Johnson could eventually replace the southern, very poorly drained, end of Lincoln

• The construction, with the assistance of professional trail builders Makin Trax, of the challenging descending trail Touching Cloth in compartment M

• The formalising of the Downhill trail, built by volunteers from the DH community, in compartment M

• The construction of a challenging two-way trail (Space Elevator) at the north end of compartment M offering a climb return to Touching Cloth and the DH trail or an easier (but still hard) descent in this area

Work completed in 2018

• The construction PS2; of a fun, more sustainable alignment that utilises more of the space available near the top half of Pitt Street in compartment H. The old Pitt Street alignment remains

• Preparation and replacement work related to the harvesting:

o Removal and storage of the “Monkey Bridge” in compartment F

o Removal and storage of several signposts in harvested compartments

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o Construction of Betty Blue in Compartment G which provides an alternate trail to those harvested still in tree cover and better links from the XC trails to the harder Auto Alley trails

o Worked with the ACT Corrective Services Transition Release Crew to clear the northern half of Bogs and Logs and Mata Hari in compartment F

o Extended Planet Claire to SE corner of compartment K, fully utilising all the elevation available for this popular descent

o Created XC links to the new finish of Plant Claire using sections of Shark Island and Pooklestein which we were able to uncover without too many problems

o Re-constructed the Monkey Bridge, that was previously on Bogs & Logs, in Compartment J. Re-aligned Sleepy Hollow to use this bridge as opposed to the pallet bridge on a generally better alignment

o With the assistance of ACT Parks and Conservation Services the planting of 80 native trees along the creek line around Bombora in compartment C. Not only will these trees provide long term shade but they will help to stabilise the banks of this steep gully

• Extensive drainage maintenance on Pinot Grinio and Bombora in Compartments in A, B and C • Successful maintenance of Barry in compartment N. In particular, drainage issues were addressed which should prevent the trail degrading as quickly • Successfully obtained funding from PCS to engage Jindabyne Landscaping to build a new pump track. A new location within The Flash was chosen and cleared by volunteers before construction commenced

Current priorities

• The completion of the Majura Pines Dirt Jump Park area to the north of Crazy Crab Walk in the beginners’ area

• The ongoing maintenance of existing trails

• Further develop the technical descent trails in compartment M. Relatively easy to construct options include:

o Alternate second half of Point Brake utilising the original Rock Lobster trail and the last section of an old DH trail

o A new trail just to south of Touching Cloth. The top two thirds can use old trails that need minimal work. A new lower section is needed

• Build an easy alternate trail to Radicle that will provide a more progressive entry to the main trails for beginners emerging from the underpass. The addition of this trail could see the easier XC trails re-classified as Green trails to create an easy loop

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• A makeover for winery hill which could include maintenance for Pinot Grinio, relocating the start of Pinot to the true top of the hill and harder A line options/features on the Batcave climb

• Update the signage and trail head maps including the possibility of a number of signed loops that would make Majura more accessible

Trail maintenance program

Following the establishment of the primary trail network, there will a greater focus on trail maintenance to ensure the longevity of the trail network. An ongoing trail maintenance program has been established to identify areas requiring trail maintenance. Every third MPTA trial day will be dedicated to trail maintenance unless trail issues require more urgent attention.

Trail conditions and maintenance issues are logged via the Trailforks website and phone app.

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Appendix A: detailed trail work by compartment (refer attached map)

Detailed trail alignments will be determined on the ground by the MPTA steering group.

Compartment A

Constructed trails: • Batcave – intermediate XC climb (built by Jindabyne Landscaping)

• Pinot Grinio – intermediate flow descent (built by Jindabyne Landscaping)

• Rock Block – XC technical two-way trail

Future opportunities There is some space to the west of Batcave to build a second technically challenging climb. Or maybe add technical short cuts, like those at , on to Batcave.

There is a long term goal to move the current rest area from the start of Pinot Grinio to the very top of the hill in the NW corner of the compartment. Extensions to Batcave and Pinot Grinio would be needed to facilitate this.

Compartments B and C

Constructed trails • Mr Squiggle and Magic Mushroom – linking XC trails (built by Jindabyne Landscaping)

• Bombora – intermediate flow descent (built by Jindabyne Landscaping)

Future opportunities A link to the winery pedestrian access gate exists in the NE corner of compartment C and was used during the 2017 National 24 Hour Championships.

Compartments D and E

Constructed trails • Mr Squiggle – linking XC trail (built by Jindabyne Landscaping)

Future opportunities As a compromise with PCS for Mr Squiggle going through the native forest in this section it was agreed there would be no additional trail development in this area.

Compartment F

Constructed trails (all intermediate two-way XC) • Mata Hari

• Bogs & Logs

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Future opportunities Several trails were lost following the harvesting in 2018 in this compartment. Betty Blue in the adjacent compartment G replaces some of them.

There are limited plans to rebuild in compartment F with no tree cover and the historical drainage problems we have had in this area.

Compartment G

Constructed trails (all technical two-way XC) • Auto Alley

• Blown Gasket

• Black Betty

• Betty Blue

• Car Body

• Bucket Run

• New Year’s Resolution

Future opportunities There is ample space along the eastern side of the compartment to cut a simple return trail along the length of the compartment to create a loop with the Auto Alley trails. Betty Blue provides the northern section of such a trail.

Compartment H

Constructed trails (all intermediate two-way XC) • Pitt Street

• PS2

• Dew Drop Inn

• Radicle

• Smitten Kitten

Future opportunities Smitten Kitten may benefit from future realignment to improve flow at its western end.

Build an easy alternate trail to Radicle that will provide a more progressive entry to the main trails for beginners emerging from the underpass. The addition of this trail could see the easier XC trails re-classified as Green trails to create an easy loop.

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Compartment I

Constructed trails (all intermediate two-way XC) • Telemark

• Innabaanya

• Straight No Chaser

Future opportunities Depending on eventual alignments to Sleepy Hollow and Lincoln in compartment J, Straight No Chaser may become a more important link between the east and west sides of the XC loop and a link to it from Sleepy Hollow when travelling south to north should be considered

Compartment J

Constructed trails (all intermediate two-way XC) • Lincoln

• Sleepy Hollow

• Johnson

Future opportunities There is a gully running east-west to the north of this compartment, which previously had a trail – Ain’t No Limberger - traversing it. Suggest we run a link trail traversing this gully from Lincoln in the north-east corner of the compartment to the eastern trail (with an alternative B line).

Compartment K

Constructed trails • Lower Planet Claire – intermediate flow trail (constructed by Jindabyne Landscaping)

• Beyond the Black Stump – intermediate two-way XC

• Love Shack – intermediate one-way XC

• Shark Island – intermediate two-way XC

• Pooklestein – intermediate two-way XC

Future opportunities Beyond the Black Stump has been vastly shortened followed the 2018 harvesting as is not often ridden. An opportunity to extend this trail all the way to the SE corner and the end of Shark Island exists but care will have to be taken to maintain speed and flow in a relatively flat compartment.

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Compartment L

Constructed trails • AJ’s Leap – intermediate two-way XC

• Whammy - technical two-way trail XC

Compartment M

Constructed trails • Boy Wonder

• Wonder Woman

• Upper Planet Claire

• Rock Lobster

• Point Brake

• Touching Cloth

• Downhill trail

• Space Elevator

Future opportunities Construction during 2017 has seen much of this compartment filled with new and resurrected old trails. Opportunities remain for additional descents namely an alternate second half of Point Brake utilising the original Rock Lobster trail and the last section of an old DH trail and an alternate start to Touching Cloth uncovering and upgrading old trails.

Compartment N

Constructed trails • Barry – advanced flow trail (constructed by Jindabyne Landscaping)

• Larry – harder climb

Beginners’ Area

Constructed trails • Crazy Crab Walk and The Flash - Beginner trails (constructed by Jindabyne Landscaping)

• Pump track (within The Flash)

• Dirt Jumps

Future opportunities The dirt jumps have never been officially finished although they are mainly in a rideable condition.

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