Goldfields Track Update, July 2010 

The Goldfield Track Project Committee (GTP) was established in 2008 in line with a business development plan commissioned by the GDTA in 2006 (Going for Gold).  The plan recommended rebranding and promoting the Ballarat to Bendigo section of the Trail as the Goldfields Track.  The GTP Committee comprises representatives from Goldfields Tourism (the peak marketing body for the Goldfields region), the GDTA, Parks Victoria (PV), People & Parks Foundation (PPF), Conservation Volunteers Australia (CVA) and GDTA Mountain Bikers. 

In 2009 a funding application was made on behalf of the GTP by Goldfields Tourism and on 15 December 2009 the Federal Government’s Department of Resources Energy and Tourism announced $550,000 for the Goldfields Track Project to deliver a shared bushwalking and mountain bike experience for central Victoria.  Funds will be used for track upgrades, mountain bike diversions, new bridges and signage, mapping, marketing activities and project management of the entire project.  Other cash funds have been provided by Goldfields Tourism and local government Shires (City of Greater Bendigo, City of Ballarat and Mount Alexander Shire).  Committee members are contributing significant in-kind assistance to the project.  The total cash and in-kind support makes this project worth over $1,000,000.

The project will be completed by March 2011 and the first stage of works is already complete including 42.5 kms of Track upgraded, installation of 157 new marker posts and other signage, the installation of two new bridges providing safe passage for mountainbikers and bushwalkers and one mountainbike diversion.  On-ground works are being carried out by work teams from Conservation Volunteers Australia (CVA) who are working closely with land managers to ensure all works meet the required standards.  All other existing GDTA track infrastructure (e.g., totems and entry stations) are being retained.  Removed marker posts are being stored for future GDTA use.  This first phase of works has taken place around the Castlemaine area, the work crews will now move to the Creswick area.

Conservation Volunteers Australia is helping deliver the project through:

  • Funds from tourism grant ¾ involving the installation of new trail infrastructure such as the replacement of existing directional posts.  The new posts are cypress pine with yellow/gold tops, new logo, directional arrows and any other relevant safety signage.
  • In-kind assistance ¾ project management assistance for the project and support for Track maintenance tasks such as erosion controls.  These works are being delivered via the National Green Jobs program.  Maintenance areas have been identified through an audit carried out in 2009 and through direct liaison with land managers.  The maintenance work will continue for at least 2 years.

Significant planning has been undertaken for this project and has included working directly with land managers, local government authorities (Bendigo, Mount Alexander, Hepburn and Ballarat) and water authorities (e.g. Coliban).  Planning has been particularly important for :

  • Signage type and colour ¾ both Parks Victoria and DSE are adopting new signage policies to which the Goldfields Track new infrastructure must align.  Information signs will now be poles and aluminium finger boards with specific colours chosen by the land managers (PV – heritage green with white lettering, DSE ochre and white lettering. As the project also involves signage on Council and VicRoads roads there will be a third colour type, information signs blue and white reflective lettering).
  • Mountain bike diversions ¾ the intent is to leave the existing track as much as possible for its original purpose, walking.  Some minor adjustments have been suggested by local Councils to the original track to ensure safety for walkers or to create better entry points. For example, the track at Fryerstown will now go to Fryerstown School rather than bypassing the township.  New major diversions will take mountain bikes off unsuitable sections of the original track onto existing bush tracks and roads.  For example, mountain bike riders will be directed down the road from the top of Mt Buninyong and off Zig Zag Track.

The project was officially launched on Saturday 8 May 2010 at the Garfield Mine Site, Castlemaine, by the Hon Martin Ferguson AM MP, Minister for Resources and Energy, and Minister for Tourism. In his speech the Minister noted the Victorian gold rushes had a special place in Australia's history and walkers and Track users will be able to take in some of this history when they travel along the Goldfields Track.  He highlighted the importance of the Track and drew the attention of PV to a particular issue that needs to be addressed: despite Victoria’s national parks attracting the highest visitor numbers in Australia, this State is not perceived as a key destination for nature based tourism when compared with other areas of Australia. It is hoped projects such as the Goldfield Track will redress this situation.

NEWS from Dec 2009:  Goldfields Track secures $500,000 Federal Government TQUAL Grant, for Buninyong to Bendigo track upgrade for walkers and mtb riders.

Nature trail from Bendigo to Ballarat now on track

 

16 December, 2009

 

The Goldfields Track is set to become the next 'must-do' nature based tourism experience with the recent announcement of the highly competitive Federal Government TQUAL Grant program.

Goldfields Tourism Inc has received a grant of $500,000 to improve the infrastructure and facilities of the 190km section of the Great Dividing Trail that connects Ballarat to Bendigo, the Goldfields Track.  Once completed in early 2011 the Goldfields Track will be the only shared bushwalking and mountain biking, bush immersion nature based experience of its kind in Australia. 

Goldfields Track mtb

Nick Lewis advises that the Ballarat Sebastopol Cycling Club and Bendigo mtb in June 2010 have joined Rocky Riders, and  formally expressed an interest in involvement with the Goldfields Track. GDTA and the Goldfields Track Committee welcomes this news.

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