No more access to the Maydena Range?

[L_Cham_67]

I won't post the link from the Mercury as you need an account to read it, but with this new mountain bike business setting up shop on the Maydena Range, what does it mean for walkers looking to go to Abbotts and Marriotts Lookout? This is their FAQ website, where they say there is a shuttle bus service to the top, but walking on the access road is not permitted: https://www.maydenabikepark.com/about/faq/
I personally have only been to Abbotts Lookout, so I'm hoping there'll be a way for me to get back to reach Marriotts...
Does anyone have more info than what is listed on their website?

[Warin]

This is their FAQ website, where they say there is a shuttle bus service to the top, but walking on the access road is not permitted: https://www.maydenabikepark.com/about/faq/

Also says the 'shuttle road' is leased from a private company and that it is used by a range of service providers. No access for private vehicles either - including private bicycles. Nor are bicycles allowed to climb to the top.

Looks like a private area that is out to make money.

[tastrax]

How did you get there in the past? Via private land or via the conservation area?

https://maps.thelist.tas.gov.au/listmap ... kId=253972

You can still get there from the Styx Road which is just about all in Conservation Area or you could also ask the private landholder for permission to walk across their property.

[L_Cham_67]

We walked up Roberts Road, as per the description in the Abels book. This was last year before the mountain bike business opened though.

[tastrax]

Roberts Road and Risby Basin Road are both limited access Forestry roads by the look of the LIST data - I would contact both Forestry and the Maydena bike park and see what they say about bushwalkers walking up the road. If its not busy, they may even give you a lift!

The statement that "There is strictly no climbing or walking access on our shuttle road." is false as its not their road, only under a lease I reckon.

[tastrax]

Here is my online chat with them - maybe you can followup


Welcome to Maydena Bike Park

Maydena Bike park
Support
Good
Maydena Bike park
Hi there, can we help you with anything?

phil
I noticed this statement on your website - There is strictly no climbing or walking access on our shuttle road. I was under the impression the road was in most part a Forestry Road and hads been used by walkers accessing Abbots and Marriots. Is this still available to walkers both private and via walking clubs?
Mainly Roberts Road
Maydena Bike park
Hi Phil, no sorry it’s a now a private road and only used for private shuttles

phil
So you have purchased the road have you?
Maydena Bike park
The road is actually included in our lease

phil
OK, so its till a Forestry Road as per the LIST road database
Maydena Bike park
Sorry Phil, not sure about that. But the road is closed to the public

phil
Under Forestry authority?
Read
Maydena Bike park
Please send an email to info@maydenabikepark.com if you require more information

phil
Will do - Thanks

[Warin]

phil
OK, so its till a Forestry Road as per the LIST road database
Maydena Bike park
Sorry Phil, not sure about that. But the road is closed to the public

phil
Under Forestry authority?
Read
Maydena Bike park
Please send an email to info@maydenabikepark.com if you require more information

phil
Will do - Thanks

I'd follow up to Forestry - they gave out the lease?
Should be part of the lease conditions if they can close it, or if they simply can access it (no right of closure).

[tastrax]

I reckon its a standard ''business on government land lease"

http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/index.aspx?base=933

but you should be able to find the finer details from either Forestry (who may have requested the conditions) or PWS who are the ones who do the paperwork on behalf of TasGov. Certainly worth a followup.

Alternative is to book a single ride ticket and get a lift up - I am sure my old Malvern Star would be up to the conditions on the way down (but I pity the folks behind me....!)

https://www.maydenabikepark.com/uplift/

[taswegian]

is this the track to Abbotts Lookout you are referring to?
Off Roberts Road?
That is administered by PWS so not sure what status that would have now?
Being Roberts Road is Private as in Forestry (I imagine) one has to cross that before access is obtained to the PWS track.
Probably an oversight??? One can only speculate
It doesn't auger well though if these set a precedence in other areas of popular walking destinations.

[L_Cham_67]

Alternative is to book a single ride ticket and get a lift up

Always a possibility
I'm not in any real rush to head back there to be honest, but I would be interested to know if people have walked up to the Maydena Range from the Styx Valley.

[L_Cham_67]

Interesting to note that one of the trails has been cut through the scrub and by the looks of it goes quite close to Marriotts Lookout...
The bike park boundary is also marked on that map, and Marriotts isn't located within it, so if there are alternative routes to its summit, then it should still be fine to summit?

[gatesy]

Just reigniting this topic again, I thought I'd ask a question or two to the bike park online.

I had talked to someone online before about accessing the Maydena Range but thought I'd try again to get answers this time, but they had tole me we could be taken to the Eagle Eyrie on the bus.

Today I talked to someone about walkers access. Which I was told "the bike park doesn't have walking tracks" - not what I was after... After some clarification, I was told due to public liability that they cannot allow walkers in the area and next year they are planning on opening a track specifically for walkers, which they don't yet know what tracks they'll be opening....

Which I was they aren't yet sure of the tracks. I will follow up via email.

I personally think it's a generous offer from both sides if walkers paid to catch the shuttle bus we are both negotiating the use of the area, they're getting a bit of money, we get to access the Maydena Range....

I have been unable to attach the full conversation. Therefore, my apologies for the lack of information I was able to gather. Mind I didn't get much anyway

[taswegian]

Thanks gatesy
Interesting they didn't make provision for walkers as part of their original setup.
Bike tracks are gearing up here (Sheffield area) with talks of Mt Roland, and The Badgers - Kimberley Range is already planned.
The northern tracks have already been open for discussion.
The Roland tracks not so.

It's one of those developments that comes after long established and existing activities of an area. They shouldn't usurp the previous rights to passive recreational activities for the sake of another new form of activity.

Be interesting to hear how that pans out.

[WalkerGD]

I had hoped that the area just below Abbots lookout could be somewhere I could be driven to when I was incapable of seeing views in South West. According to theLIST with tenure layer this is a conservation area yet it seems to have been "privatised"
Very Sad

[tastrax]

I had hoped that the area just below Abbots lookout could be somewhere I could be driven to when I was incapable of seeing views in South West. According to theLIST with tenure layer this is a conservation area yet it seems to have been "privatised"
Very Sad

Not quite correct - there is a mix of tenures in the area - Private and Forestry (on which most of Roberts Road remains), Regional Reserve (on which much of the bike park has been developed) and Conservation area (which hasn't really changed for years and includes a minor bit of Roberts Road). Its always been a bit of a challenge to get there but now you can hitch a lift on the bike bus with a single lift ticket and use both the uplift and also enjoy the facilities at the top.

https://maps.thelist.tas.gov.au/listmap ... kId=272928

[north-north-west]

Not quite correct - there is a mix of tenures in the area - Private and Forestry (on which most of Roberts Road remains), Regional Reserve (on which much of the bike park has been developed) and Conservation area (which hasn't really changed for years and includes a minor bit of Roberts Road). Its always been a bit of a challenge to get there but now you can hitch a lift on the bike bus with a single lift ticket and use both the uplift and also enjoy the facilities at the top.

Whereas we used to be able to pedal or walk up with cost.

[johnw]

Not quite correct - there is a mix of tenures in the area - Private and Forestry (on which most of Roberts Road remains), Regional Reserve (on which much of the bike park has been developed) and Conservation area (which hasn't really changed for years and includes a minor bit of Roberts Road). Its always been a bit of a challenge to get there but now you can hitch a lift on the bike bus with a single lift ticket and use both the uplift and also enjoy the facilities at the top.

Whereas we used to be able to pedal or walk up with cost.

Did you mean without cost?

[north-north-west]

Not quite correct - there is a mix of tenures in the area - Private and Forestry (on which most of Roberts Road remains), Regional Reserve (on which much of the bike park has been developed) and Conservation area (which hasn't really changed for years and includes a minor bit of Roberts Road). Its always been a bit of a challenge to get there but now you can hitch a lift on the bike bus with a single lift ticket and use both the uplift and also enjoy the facilities at the top.

Whereas we used to be able to pedal or walk up with cost.

Did you mean without cost?

Well, of course I did. Packing for a walk is just too distracting.
Sorry about that.

[Lostsoul]

Anyone done Marriots Lookout from any other way besides the bike park?

[Last]

Anyone done Marriots Lookout from any other way besides the bike park?

I had wondered that myself. There's no obvious forestry roads and the forest looks "challenging". There's plantations above Fitzgerald, so that may be a good start.

[Lostsoul]

It’s my understanding that hikers can get the shuttle bus up and down?Anyone know if this is correct?

[north-north-west]

It’s my understanding that hikers can get the shuttle bus up and down?Anyone know if this is correct?

Yes, for a fee. Unless that's changed recently.

According to Bill Wilkinson, Roberts Rd is public and excluding walkers is not legal. I've read the correspondence between him and the bike park on the matter and I'm not convinced - it read more like there was some confusion between Roberts Rd and Abbotts Rd. But I have been up there and had no problems apart from at Eagles Nest itself. YMMV.