❓ Mr. Alban inquires about the Munda Biddi Trail's recent completion and its impact on tourism and national park access. The Minister responds positively, highlighting its significance, management, funding, and benefits to tourism and local communities.
AnsweredQoN 78Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
MUNDA BIDDI TRAIL
78. Mr F.A. ALBAN to the Minister for Environment:
As someone whose electorate is home to national parks, I know
the significance of ensuring that the government can expand access to our
national park network. With this in mind, can the minister please update the
house on the recent opening of the Munda Biddi Trail and its significance in
supporting tourism and managed access to our state's national parks?
78. Mr F.A. ALBAN to the Minister for Environment:
As someone whose electorate is home to national parks, I know
the significance of ensuring that the government can expand access to our
national park network. With this in mind, can the minister please update the
house on the recent opening of the Munda Biddi Trail and its significance in
supporting tourism and managed access to our state's national parks?
AnswerView source ↗
For those members who do not know, Munda Biddi is a Noongar
term which means ''path through the forest''. The Munda Biddi
Trail is now the world's longest, continuous off-road cycling trail. I
am pleased to inform the house that the final section of the trail between
Nannup and Albany was recently completed. The trail now extends over 1 000 kilometres,
all the way from the south coast to Mundaring. I recently had the fantastic
privilege of opening the trail in Mundaring. I got to wave the riders across
the line as they completed the Munda Biddi Epic 1000 event. Twenty-six riders
were the first people to traverse the full extent of that trail. I am pleased
to inform members that this event received extensive coverage from as far away
as the United Kingdom. We even had coverage in The Telegraph in England.
This trail is managed by the Department of Environment and
Conservation in partnership with the Munda Biddi Trail Foundation, a
not-for-profit organisation that was set up around the same time we were
planning the trail. The Munda Biddi Trail Foundation does an outstanding job in
not only community engagement but also promotion of the trail. Over $4 million
in government funding has gone into this program over the years, through
programs such as royalties for regions and through the Department of
Environment and Conservation. We also received support from Alcoa and the Peel
Development Commission, and Lotterywest provided support through the Department
of Sport and Recreation. Significantly, Minister for Corrective Services, some
prisoners have also assisted in the construction of parts of this trail, through
an ongoing partnership between the Department of Environment and Conservation
and the Department of Corrective Services.
The completion of the Munda Biddi Trail will deliver real
benefits to the tourism industry throughout the south west. It will boost the
economies of small communities along the trail as it encourages more and more
people to get out on their bikes to enjoy our natural environment in an
environmentally responsible way. Assistance has been provided to communities
along the trail, particularly between Albany and Nannup, supporting them to
become cycle tourism–ready. Some people have been quite creative in
trying to entice new services such as bike washing facilities and showers along
the way for cyclists, tent areas if people do not want to book accommodation,
and a range of cycle tourism strategies for some of the small communities.
Mr B.S. Wyatt :
Well done!
Mr A.P. JACOB :
Thank you, member.
Around 20 000 people already use this trail annually. That
number is expected to grow exponentially now that the trail is completed, and
indeed is the world's longest.
term which means ''path through the forest''. The Munda Biddi
Trail is now the world's longest, continuous off-road cycling trail. I
am pleased to inform the house that the final section of the trail between
Nannup and Albany was recently completed. The trail now extends over 1 000 kilometres,
all the way from the south coast to Mundaring. I recently had the fantastic
privilege of opening the trail in Mundaring. I got to wave the riders across
the line as they completed the Munda Biddi Epic 1000 event. Twenty-six riders
were the first people to traverse the full extent of that trail. I am pleased
to inform members that this event received extensive coverage from as far away
as the United Kingdom. We even had coverage in The Telegraph in England.
This trail is managed by the Department of Environment and
Conservation in partnership with the Munda Biddi Trail Foundation, a
not-for-profit organisation that was set up around the same time we were
planning the trail. The Munda Biddi Trail Foundation does an outstanding job in
not only community engagement but also promotion of the trail. Over $4 million
in government funding has gone into this program over the years, through
programs such as royalties for regions and through the Department of
Environment and Conservation. We also received support from Alcoa and the Peel
Development Commission, and Lotterywest provided support through the Department
of Sport and Recreation. Significantly, Minister for Corrective Services, some
prisoners have also assisted in the construction of parts of this trail, through
an ongoing partnership between the Department of Environment and Conservation
and the Department of Corrective Services.
The completion of the Munda Biddi Trail will deliver real
benefits to the tourism industry throughout the south west. It will boost the
economies of small communities along the trail as it encourages more and more
people to get out on their bikes to enjoy our natural environment in an
environmentally responsible way. Assistance has been provided to communities
along the trail, particularly between Albany and Nannup, supporting them to
become cycle tourism–ready. Some people have been quite creative in
trying to entice new services such as bike washing facilities and showers along
the way for cyclists, tent areas if people do not want to book accommodation,
and a range of cycle tourism strategies for some of the small communities.
Mr B.S. Wyatt :
Well done!
Mr A.P. JACOB :
Thank you, member.
Around 20 000 people already use this trail annually. That
number is expected to grow exponentially now that the trail is completed, and
indeed is the world's longest.
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