Whangārei mountain bikers blamed for deaths of pregnant cows in Wanaka

Beef cattle negotiate the Dingle Burn Bluff. Photo / ODT / Supplied

Mountain bikers from Whangārei are accused of being the "brainless idiots" who caused the deaths of three pregnant cows in Wānaka.

A local club for the sport has condemned the actions of the unaffiliated mountain bikers, saying it would be disappointing if they were confirmed to be Northlanders.

The Otago Daily Times reported the cyclists had ignored multiple signs about closed roads and stock movement at a remote Lake Hawea station last week.

Station farmers Nick Mead and Tim Lambeth were mustering a herd of 60 pregnant cows on a precarious stretch of Dingleburn Station Rd when the herd was spooked by the riders.

The riders, spooked themselves when they saw the mob, had dismounted their bikes and climbed up the bluff to get out of the way.

But sadly their actions failed to prevent nine cows from plummeting off the remote Dingleburn Bluff.

Six were able to swim to safety, helped by people in boats.

Two of the survivors swam for several kilometres before they could be rescued.

When the farmers confronted the mountain bikers – they believed were from Whangārei – the riders told them they thought the road was only closed for vehicles.

Beware of bikes ... beef cattle negotiate the Dingleburn Bluff. Photo / ODT / Supplied

The signs had warned "Road closed! Stock coming out" and were placed before the muster near a Department of Conservation (DoC) carpark.

Mead said they'd lost faith in the public and would resort to having a person manage the road every time they moved stock.

"That's the price we have to pay for brainless idiots ... people using rural areas like this need to get themselves properly educated in rural etiquette."

A Whangārei Mountain Bike club spokesperson said they would be disappointed if the riders were from Northland - as was speculated ... but to the best of our knowledge they aren't members of our club".

"We certainly don't agree with what's happened or condone riding in areas that are closed, and feel for the farmers and the loss of their livestock."

Mountain Bike New Zealand president Chris Arbuckle, of Wānaka, said all mountain bikers should be familiar with the national body's code for respect for others, the rules and tracks.

"It's about personal responsibility. And common sense," he said.

Arbuckle agreed with Mead and Lambeth that the mountain bikers should have turned back.