A persuasive letter to a local MP addressing the need for a dedicated nature based mountain bike trail to be constructed in Melville for local youth, to alleviate the current issue of ‘illegal trails’ being created in bushland in Melville, which poses a safety risk and environmental impacts.
17 May 2022
The Hon. Ben Morton MP
Member for Tangney
PO Box 329
WILLETTON WA 6955
Dear Senator Morton
I am a local resident in Melville and have lived here all of my life. I am writing to request your assistance with a current issue in the Melville community, which is a need for a nature based mountain bike trail for local youth.
Since the beginning of the outbreak of COVID in Perth in 2020, the youth of Melville have been encouraged to get out of the house and do something productive – like riding their bikes. In this time, a number of illegal bike trails have been formed by youth in local bush parks in the City of Melville. There are mixed opinions and feelings about this ongoing dilemma, and local residents living on the streets where the trails are located are impacted by the large gatherings of children riding through their street, sometimes dangerously.
Firstly, there is a safety issue as these makeshift trails have been built without proper regulation or engineering. They contain jumps, ramps, dips and other sorts of obstacles. In June 2020, you may have read in the Fremantle Herald about the 4WD that had a near miss with a biker who suddenly appeared out of the bush and this almost ended in serious injury. Another safety issue was reported in the Melville Gazette in August 2020 when some asbestos – a highly toxic material, was dumped in the bush nearby the makeshift tracks, posing a health risk to the children riding nearby.
From an environmental perspective, the unregulated tracks are causing environmental damage to the bushland and terrain. Plants and bushes are being crushed, soil is disturbed, rocks are being relocated and large pieces of wood and rubber are being brought into the area to use as ramps. There are large areas of trampled bush and plant life.
Outdoor recreational facilities are vital for the wellbeing of our local youth. In this digital age, it is imperative that children and teenagers have a healthy balanced lifestyle with outdoor activity. Mountain Biking is very popular with this age group and there is a big demand for it in the City of Melville. Although there is a bitumen BMX track in Bull Creek, this is not a typical mountain biking bush style environment that the children are seeking. On any one afternoon in Melville, you can find up to 30 children riding on these unregulated trails.
I am very concerned that if we don’t remedy this situation with a dedicated mountain bike trail in nature we could face a serious accident or injury which could be avoided with proper regulations. There has been a large amount of discussion and conflict going on between parents and residents in Melville on social media platforms, with parents wanting their children to be able to enjoy nature and the bush trails, whereas residents are not happy about these makeshift trails being constructed in areas of bushland close to their homes.
I have attached some photos of the trails for your reference.
Please raise our concern with your State counterparts and to support our desire for the creation of a Mountain Bike Trail in Melville.
Yours sincerely,
Jacob Covic
Ph: 9330 9389
4 Challenger Place, Melville WA 6156
