Track shock: Barrabool’s John George and Heather Wellington with other angry residents.
By Cherie Donnellan
GEELONG Motocross Club is under investigation for allegedly breaching its land protection agreement on McAdam Park, Surf Coast Shire has revealed.
The shire told residents who complained last month about damage to the Barrabool site that council would “be active” in ensuring the club’s compliance with the management plan.
The shire said it was also withholding $100,000 of promised funding from park owners Motorcycling Australia for failing to provide “an acceptable strategic plan”.
Barrabool’s Heather Welling-ton said the motocross club had “severely damaged” land adjoining the McAdam Park track during a private event on June 16 and 17.
The club had a responsibility as a tenant to adhere to the management plan protecting the “significant” site, she said.
“One of the tasks in the plan is to protect lot two from soil erosion. The gullies were extensively and repeatedly ridden over and the sloping land is now a huge mess of chopped-up soil, which will erode with rainfall.”
Ms Wellington said the motocross club had destroyed the site only a year after re-sowing of the rear lot, for which Department of Primary Industries provided funding.
“Although there’s an obligation for Motorcycling Australia to re-seed it, much of the damage is on very steep and fragile areas where reseeding is likely to be impossible or ineffective.”
Ms Wellington described the new tracks as a “scar” on the hills.
“As a result of the activities at the weekend, soil is piled up in berms at each corner of the track.
“The longer-term effect of the damage to the land will be further significant erosion as soon as there is more rain, because of the steepness of some of the damaged areas, and permanent scarring.
“The visual damage is appalling.”
Mr Wellington said the damage had “devastated” Barrabool residents.
National Trust recognises Barrabool Hills as an “area of high scenic quality”.
Motorcycling Australia was unable to provide comment before the Independent went to press on Wednesday afternoon.
