They brought their bikes and they brought their horses to the opening of the $1.3m upgrade to the Bayview Conservation Area at Redland Bay on April 28.
There were free activities for children including a jumping castle and use of the BMX circuit with a free family sausage sizzle and drinks and a visit from Geckos Wildlife and Ranger Stacey.
But the biggest drawcard are the tracks themselves with the area offering a myriad of trails spanning 60km for walking, riding and mountain biking. The trails vary from gently gradient for bird watching to the more challenging.
“It’s good to have somewhere local to ride. This is a great addition to the area. I’ve tried to use the trails before but now they are graded, we will be here a lot,” horsewoman Naomi Rolfe of Redland Bay said.
Avid BMX rider Vaghn Bowden of Wellington Point said not only was the area “incredible” for mountain bikes but also gave the Redlands a new space to host more events. Already the SE Queensland Bayview Blast is earmarked for the site on June 9 and 10.
Mayor Karen Williams said the area cemented its place as a regional asset and offered another reason for people to visit the Redlands.
“Today we celebrate the transformation of a previously empty field into an outstanding regional recreational asset,” Cr Williams said.
The area includes a wash down area for mountain bikers, an outdoor shower for walkers and riders, horse hitching posts and water point, loop road, barbecues and water access and toilets.
“We are also investing in environmental outcomes, enhancing Bayview’s wonderful biodiversity with 25,000 plants going into the reserve as part of Council’s One Million Native Plants Project,” Cr Williams said.
Division 6 Councillor, Julie Talty said the site was a great example of the type of community-friendly events Bayview could now cater for.
“These upgrades give people easy access to the great outdoors, while ensuring facilities are available to support its varied usage and protect the area’s environmental values,” she said.
More on redland.qld.gov.au/Parks, Venues and Facilities/Track Parks and Conservation Areas.