By Tyler Wright
The Olinda Bike Trail Committee is still pushing to get cyclists off the roads in the Dandenongs through a proposal for a bike trail from Lilydale Station right through to Olinda.
The trail would connect existing trails as well as adding a new three-kilometre section of trail connecting Swansea Road to York Road.
The committee is calling for a feasibility study – costing an estimated $125,000 – to be funded by the council.
It would assess the amount of infrastructure needed to bring the trail to the commonly recognised shared use trail standard, which is mostly 2.5 metres, according to the committee’s budget submission.
Some short distances may be mixed use trail standard of 1.0m width, according to the document.
“We want to have an access like this, get as many people as possible off the road, off the mountain, off Mount Dandenong Tourist Road, so you can actually drive up there without killing anybody or being killed; that’s a high priority,” committee chairperson Ron Thomas said.
“The other thing about this is that it’s environmentally friendly; the tracks already exist, we’re not going to bulldoze anything; the only bit that hasn’t been done yet is across the road, between Swansea and York, and that is an absolute tip; It’s full of weeds and proper landscaping, a proper trail through there, it’s going to be improved.
“It’s going to be protecting the environment, protecting the wildlife because we’re not going to have people driving their mountain bikes up everywhere; there’s going to be a designated trail and only that trail will be used.“
Mr Thomas said the path will also create access to businesses along the trail, boosting tourism in the area.
“The flow on effects could be enormous for the business here as well,“ he said.
At a Yarra Ranges Council meeting in May 2022, then Environment and Infrastructure Director Mark Varmalis, told councillors he would convene with the council’s recreation and active living team on the matter.
Now, the committee is pushing for the funds to be allocated in the upcoming budget for 2024-2025, listing Rail Trails Australia among the groups and organisations that have expressed support for the initiative.
“We missed out last year; It’s a tough budget situation this year, but we believe this is a very small amount of money compared to the other budget issues, and just to get the feasibility study up and running so [the council] can be told what’s possible and what’s not possible, what route will work, what route won’t work,“ Mr Thomas said.
“We’re happy to go along whatever the findings are, but they’ve got to make that first step; find out what the problems are.
“We’ve also been working with Melbourne Water about the water treatment plant here that’s blocking this part; we’ve been talking to [Parks Victoria] about what we can do and can’t do through their trails.
“We’ve also been talking to the [state government] about how to cross this road and how to cross Swansea Road, and we hope that’s going to be incorporated in a big plan for York Road.“
According to Parks Victoria, the body has not received a formal proposal for a Lilydale to Olinda bike path.
Parks Victoria said no consent or approval for the proposal has been granted, with any cycle trail using existing tracks in the Dandenong Ranges National Park needing approval from Parks Victoria and needing to align with the National Park Management Plan.
Yarra Ranges Council and Melbourne Water have been contacted for comment.
