Mount Barker Hill mountain bike trail development gets council nod

A development application for a mountain bike trail network on Mt Barker Hill has been given the green light by Shire of Plantagenet council, marking a big step forward in a long-term vision to transform the Great Southern into a premium trails destination.

Councillors unanimously approved a landscape concept master plan at last month’s council meeting incorporating a 10km mountain bike trail and landscape improvements to Mt Barker Hill.

The trails aimed to be “high quality, sustainable and accessible” suitable for a diverse range of users including those with mobility issues, an officer’s report states.

The Mt Barker Aboriginal Progress Association had a key role in the development of the plan and has made a request to see the trails named after Noongar plants and animals and incorporate Noongar artwork into the signage.

A Mt Barker Hill advisory committee has progressed three concept plans for separate aspects of developing Mt Barker Hill.

They include lighting of the communication tower, Mt Barker Hill mountain bike trails in collaboration with Outdoors Great Southern and trail designers Magic Dirt, and a Mt Barker Hill landscape concept plan.