Hopes Bindoon Mountain Bike Park will keep town attracting visitors once new bypass opens in 2025
/ By Eliza BidstrupWith a newly built bypass set to divert traffic around the town of Bindoon from next year, community leaders have had to think outside the box to keep attracting visitors.
The Bindoon Bypass comprises 62 kilometres of new highway connecting Chittering Roadhouse to the south of the town with New Norcia, about 125 kilometres north-east of Perth.
While the government says the bypass will reduce heavy vehicle traffic through Bindoon, studies of towns in similar situations — including Northam and Harvey — showed significant impacts to local economies.
These include the loss, on average, of four businesses, a 40 per cent reduction in traffic and a 35 per cent loss of local jobs.
For a town like Bindoon, a loss of four businesses would mean the closure of half of its shopping precinct.
The Shire of Chittering's solution has been the creation of the Bindoon Mountain Bike Park.
Officially opened to the public last week, 13.8 kilometres of trails have been built on 87 hectares of local government-owned land on Chinkabee Hill.
With 10 trails of varying difficulties, the project has been touted by developers as world-class, catering to beginners and professionals alike.
Mountain biking is booming
Figures from Mountain Bike Australia in 2021 estimated the sport had more than 340,000 participants nationally, who directly spent $630.8 million each year.
Shire of Chittering chief executive Melinda Prinsloo said a recent audit of the local government area identified more than 50 businesses operating in the tourism and recreation space.
"This presents an opportunity for these businesses to tap into the additional visitors brought to town annually because of the establishment of the site," Ms Prinsloo said.
"The park is likely to create other business opportunities as the demand for services continues to grow such as shuttle services, tours, lessons, accommodation, and food and beverage outlets."
The council estimates the park will attract 50,000 visitors annually to the region and $50.2 million in regional returns over a 20-year period.
Local club established
The park's construction has already been well-received in town, with locals establishing the Chittering Mountain Bike Club.
Rider and committee member Lindsay Bennett said many current members previously had to travel significant distances to be involved in the sport.
"Everyone is really excited because we've finally got something close to home," he said.
"Before we always had to drive [80km] to Kalamunda and now we've got it on our doorstep."
Mr Bennett said although it was still getting established, the club was eager to attract official events to the facility to boost tourism and club involvement.
A community-led vision
Project designer and Lower Chittering local Paul Neve said the appeal of the Bindoon Mountain Bike Park was the town itself.
"We’ve got a whole town behind us, in both senses," Mr Neve said.
"Not only is the mountain bike park smack bang in the middle of town, making it easy to get to and accessible, but it is the town that has brought the park here — to improve the area, to bring more things to do and more tourists to the area."
Mr Neve has been a leader in WA mountain bike trail construction for close to three decades, and during that time has seen the impact the sport has had on regional towns.
"We've seen people move to towns like Nannup in the South West because they have these tracks on offer — Bindoon won't be any different," he said.
Without state or federal financial contributions, the Shire of Chittering has put its full faith in the project, committing $1.7 million in funding to bring stage one to life.
The local government is now looking for funding partners for stage two, which will see the construction of an additional 11.5km of trails and a pump track, intended to attract events to the facility.