Plenty Gorge MTB
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PGMTB newsletter, March 2025
Happy New Year Plenty Gorge MTB Club Members!
Contents
Update to formalisation of trails
Club maintenance of trails, tool set
Annual General Meeting
Our Club AGM for 2023-2024 was held on 23 October 2024 at One Fusion in Bundoora. Previous president Jamie Sharp had tendered his resignation, so a revitalisation of the Club Committee was a pressing issue. Nominations were received and accepted by a vote from Members present at the meeting:
- President Daryl Snowdon
- Vice President Emerson Thistlethwaite
- Treasurer Anthony Ciancio
- Secretary Chris Jobson
In addition, a further seven Ordinary Committee Members were voted in:
- Lyall Demetrios
- Ron Harvey
- Andrew Humphries
- Stuart Oates
- Guy Stephens
- Karl Walters
- Andrew White
A motion to reduce the Club’s annual membership fee from $35.00 to $25.00 was carried, given the increases in Cycling Australia membership and the fact that the Club has no urgent need to increase its revenue.
The Committee will look into a new Club logo to better reflect our goal of sustainable mountain biking, and incorporating this into some new merchandise, including riding apparel.
Guy Stephens has now been nominated as the Club’s Member Protection Information Officer. This position serves as a point of contact for Members and others who have concerns within the Club.
More new Committee Members!
We recently had a request from two Club Members about joining the Committee. These nominations were unanimously endorsed at our last meeting, and we now welcome Mel Ansett & Li Day as General Committee Members. It is great to have a broader perspective among the Admin group. They bring a wealth of experience and refreshing energy to the Club.
Update to formalisation of trails
The process to formalise some of the trails around the Tank has stalled in the past few months. With the Club Committee having been recently refreshed, and new members on board to assist in administration, we hope to add some momentum over the first quarter of this year. There is still approximately $100,000 remaining from the original Vic Government grant of $195,000, which we need to collaborate with Parks Victoria on how it will be used, otherwise it will go back to Treasury. This is not available for us to simply spend as we see fit, but is subject to a large volume of requirements and accounting.
We will provide updates as they come to hand.
Image of proposed formalised trails and link tracks
Calendar of events
Find following calendar of events for social rides and trail maintenance – please check with latest newsletter / email or the Club Members Facebook page as things can change…
Social rides
You’re welcome to bring any bike that will handle the terrain. There’s no requirement for any particular kind of bike.
We welcome dual-suspension, hardtail or rigid, gears or single-speed, MTB, e-Bike or gravel bike – but we have an expectation that your bike will be in proper working order before you arrive, and that you have the confidence and ability to ride trails which can be rough or slippery.
You will also need to wear a helmet (for your protection, and for ours as a Club), and bring your own water – at least a 700mL bidon.
It is recommended that you also come equipped with a spare tube (and the tools to fit and inflate it). More difficult technical issues can be patched up as they occur, but we’d all really prefer if they occur due to accident rather than lack of maintenance or preparation.
Sunday morning
Our Sunday morning social rides continue every second Sunday (weather permitting) – these local rides loop around the trails in the proposed formalisation area, or further afield within Plenty Gorge Park, depending on the consensus of the group. We usually split the attendees into smaller groups, with a more relaxed group staying close to the Tank, an advanced group taking in a longer and more technical route including river crossings, and sometimes a middle group enjoying the best of both worlds.
Departing Yellow Gum carpark at 8:00am sharp during Daylight Saving Time and typically finishing by 10:30 to 11:00am.
When Daylight Savings Time ends, the start time will revert to 9:00am.
Please arrive 15 minutes early to ensure you’re ready for the departure time.
The big group who attended our last Sunday Social ride for 2024
The Club marquee, set up at the Yellow Gum picnic area, where we hosted a free barbeque and drinks for attendees
Typically, some of us will head to Plentiful Café post-ride for a coffee and something to eat. Unless you rode to the starting point, you probably drove past it in your way to the ride. You’ll find it close to the CFA fire station, near the intersection of Memorial Drive and Yan Yean Road.
https://plentiful-general-store.business.site/#gallery
Away rides
Every 12 weeks or so, the Club will organise a social ride away from Plenty Gorge Park. Previously we have had very well-attended trips to Djuwang Baring (Creswick), Red Hill, La Larr Ba Gauwa MTB Park (Harcourt) and Smiths Gully.
We collaborated with the Red Hill Riders in November, who put together a great combination of MTB park and XC trails. Starting from Boundary Rd in Dromana and heading up through the bike park, we rode past the Eagle atop Arthurs Seat, then down the XC trails towards Rosebud, before turning back up the hill and taking a different group of trails back to our starting point. It was a brilliant day, despite some interesting weather!
Too busy having fun to take many photos, sorry!
Not only are these events fun, with many of us discovering these places for the first time, but it’s a great way to network with our MTB community colleagues, cross-promote each other’s Clubs, and discuss issues we have in common.
We also went to Creswick again earlier this month, and it was absolutely brilliant. It’s not hard to see why everyone in Victoria has been talking about this being a must-go destination.
We’ll be arranging the away rides for April and July during the coming weeks.
Tuesday night
The Tuesday night social ride is for those riders looking for a bit more of an adventure. Usually at a faster pace than the (more) social weekend outings, we still stop to chat - just not normally for as long, or as often.
The starting point for these rides rotates through three venues:
- Queens Gardens
- The Tank - Goldsworthy Lane
- Norge - Middle Gorge Car Park
They all feature a 6:45pm departure time. The route is not usually pre-determined, and may change without notice – such as when we arrive at an intersection and the ride leader decides to take that route on the spot. We normally finish riding by 9:00pm, with a post-ride cold drink having become something of a fixture over the past months. BYO (responsibly please), or add something to the portable fridge to share.
With Daylight Saving Time well and truly in effect, the need for riding lights isn’t so critical at this time of year.
Gathered near the Tank for a breather and likely a decision about where to go next
Trail-side repairs – no shortage of light, tools or advice!
Expect sunsets like this
.. and this
Club maintenance of trails, tool set
In cooperation with Parks Victoria, the Club has permission to complete trail maintenance on the three trail loops in the proposed formalisation area. Typically, this involves removing vegetation that has overgrown onto trails or where fallen limbs are close to the edge of the track and dangerous to passing riders or inhibiting sight lines around corners.
Our next Club maintenance event will be advised once we’ve locked it in – more detail to follow, typically we meet at either the Tank car park or Yellow Gum car park and walk to the trail needing maintenance.
A separate email will be sent with details.
Bring along gloves, safety eyewear, long pants, etc – rakes would be handy!
Instructions on work to be done will be given on the morning.
By the way, Club Members should be registered with Parks Connect, PV’s Park Volunteer portal – just your name, address, contact details, etc, etc…
https://www.parkconnect.vic.gov.au/Account/Login/Register
Once registered, you can select Plenty Gorge MTB Club as your volunteer club – the Club needs to apply for trail maintenance (PV volunteer work) each time and then complete a post work ‘report’ including those persons attending – it’s all about documenting the volunteer hours.
You should also have a Working With Children Check registration. This is the norm these days with any club and activities where children are involved.
https://www.workingwithchildren.vic.gov.au/
Also! Part of the Government grant will be used to place an order through PV for a range of trail maintenance tools and safety gear.
Communication
The Club has a Facebook page (Plenty Gorge MTB) which has two groups associated:
- Plenty Gorge Mountain Bike Riders (public)
- Plenty Gorge MTB Committee (Committee only)
Most communication will be to Members through the TidyHQ web portal provided by AusCycling.
Our website is finally getting some overdue revision, thanks to suitably experienced Committee members having come on board recently.
And as always, please communicate with the Committee in person during a ride or email plentygorgemtb@gmail.com – we’re looking for your feedback and ideas!
Thank you!
Emerson Thistlethwaite
Vice-President
On behalf of the Committee
