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Tablelands Region Cycling Strategy 2024-34

All your thoughts and ideas have now be compiled and used alongside the information gleaned from trail and route audits and insights from the cycling community to form a draft strategy for our region.

The Tablelands Region Cycling Strategy 2024-34 will include all forms of cycling — road, mountain bike and off-road trails. The strategy will take into consideration all demographics and capabilities and contribute to increased participation in recreational cycling to support health and wellbeing, economic, tourism and social benefits for our community.

Submissions closed Friday 31 May 2024. Thank you for all your input!

Objectives

To facilitate the management of community expectations, and provide direction on TRC’s priorities, particularly in relation to the delivery of cycling-related projects.
To develop a decision-making framework for cycling projects, programs and infrastructure that aligns with TRC’s strategic direction and assists community and businesses in achieving common goals.
To assist TRC and community organisations to leverage future funding, partnerships and collaboration opportunities for specific cycling priority projects.
To promote sustainable planning, development and management of assets and infrastructure.
To develop a strategy and action plan with measures to ensure monitoring and progress reporting.
To consider principal cycle network (TMR) connectivity to recreational cycling.

The TRC area covers a large part of the region known as the Atherton Tablelands, just over an hour inland from Cairns. The climate, altitude, outstanding natural beauty and biodiversity mean the region is a popular destination for outdoor recreation experiences. Cycling trails and events continue to grow in popularity with locals and visitors alike.

TRC has received community requests during consultation for the Tablelands 2030+ Community Plan and other community projects for additional recreational cycling routes and improvements to existing trails and cycle networks. Historically new or upgrades to existing infrastructure have been
undertaken on an ad hoc basis.

A contingent of cycling groups has requested the development of a Cycling Strategy for the region that will guide new infrastructure development and renewals, ensure projects are undertaken in a more coordinated and planned manner, and maximise funding opportunities. The outdoor cycle groups that operate within the TRC Local Government Area include, but are not limited to, Audax Australia Far North Queensland, Tableland Cycle Sports (TCS), Sixty and Over
group (SAOs), Tablelands Outdoor Recreation Association (TORA), Spinners Inclusive Sports and Cassowary Coast Multisport Club Inc.

We recognise a strategy will assist not-for-profit groups in applying for funding to progress their own projects. Many have a demonstrated history of developing effective programs, projects and initiatives to support inclusive community health and wellbeing. We seek to understand opportunities to invest in new and upgraded trails by adopting a more strategic and regional approach to cycle network planning, provision, management and promotion.

The strategy will act as an economic driver for a range of sectors of the Tablelands economy, including tourism and retail. There has been a focus from outdoor cycle groups on developing cycle tourism by delivering various Audax, mountain bike and road bike events across the region. This project also holds the potential to work with neighbouring councils to increase connectivity and provide consistency in trail infrastructure across local government boundaries.

Thank you to everyone who attended a pop-up or workshop session and those who submitted Quick Poll or Survey responses during the first stage of community consultation in 2023:

Workshops

Atherton – 11 April, Ravenshoe – 12 April and Malanda – 13 April

Pop-Up Sessions

Northern Bikes, 55 Main Street, Atherton — 15 April
Herberton 5 Star Handimarket — 14 April
Millaa Millaa Library — 13 April
Mount Garnet Visitor Information Centre — 12 April
Tolga CWA — 12 April
Yungaburra Visitor Information Centre — 11 April

Tablelands Region Cycling Strategy Summary - DRAFT

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