New trails soften loss of Harakeke

AND HE'S OFF: Mark Humphrey rides one of the old trails at Harakeke Mountain Bike Park.

All is not lost for Wanganui mountain bikers - new trails are being formed as an old favourite nears closing, Wanganui Mountain Bike Club member Rozy Rawlinson says.

Some are already open to the public, at Lake Wiritoa.

Harakeke Mountain Bike Park was made by volunteers and community workers among pine forest near Pauri Lake, and opened in March 2012. But since then Rangitikei iwi Ngati Apa has resumed ownership of the land it is on and decided to farm it.

Mature pines were cut on one section last year, closing trails there. The eight-year-old pines on another section have been sprayed to kill them. But there's still 20km of track there that's rideable until the trees are removed. That will not happen until July at the earliest, Mrs Rawlinson said.

Knowing Harakeke would close, the club went looking for land elsewhere. It's now making some easier tracks for younger bikers at Hylton Park.

And Mrs Rawlinson and others have 2.5km of new trails ready to use on 5ha of Wanganui District Council land near Lake Wiritoa. It's signposted opposite the entrance to the lake reserve and open to anyone.

They've been working there since July last year, and have cleared gorse and blackberry and made trails through the pine forest. Clay has been laid on the sandy paths, with the help of a motorised wheelbarrow loaned by the Conservation Department.

The 5ha includes a stream and wetland area, a route used by tuna (eels) migrating between the sea and lake. One of the trails is called Araheke, in recognition of that.

That's just the beginning, Mrs Rawlinson said. A further 9.5ha of bare council land at the western end of Pauri Lake is also available for trails, and a further 3.5km section is possible there. It is to be linked to the nearby 5ha piece by a cycle route at the back of Scoutlands.

Work there is to begin this month.