Image credit: Fox Creek Bike Park
South Australia’s first adaptive MTB bike trail, Allen’s Orange Whip, has officially opened at Fox Creek Bike Park.
Named after South Australian Paralympic wonder Grant Allen, the single track trail has been built to ‘Gravity Quad Spec’ and designed by the Tasmanian Next Level Mountain Bike company. While the Orange Whip trail is an exciting first for the state, Fox Creek plans on opening a further two tracks soon.
Often referred to as off-road para-cycling, aMTB encompasses a wide range of riders who cannot use a standard mountain bike. This new track ensures that all thrill-seeking bike riders can get their next adrenaline hit in SA.
Working closely with AusCycling SA state manager for Paracycling Lachie Ambrose and ForestrySA, the new Fox Creek trail spans 554m and is rated an intermediate ride.
Agent for change and adaptive-cycling non-for-profit Breaking the Boundary provided resources to the team at Fox Creek to create the undulating track.
After being badly burnt in the devastating 2019 Cudlee Creek bushfires, the Fox Creek Bike Park partially opened in April. Working tirelessly to re-establish the damaged trails, ForestrySA has been progressively inching closer to re-opening in 2022 after securing $2.5M in funding from the National Bushfire Recovery Fund.
This grant has seen the park restoration go from strength to strength since the expansive plains were decimated two years ago. Harnessing their ‘Build Back Better’ ethos, the park has enhanced original trails and built better infrastructure that will foster SA’s thriving bike community for years to come.
Surrounded by burnt pine and native forest, certain tracks are still closed off due to safety concerns of falling trees and branches. For your own safety, check the signs before entering the park and do not enter any fire-affected areas of the forest.
To find out more about the Fox Creek Bike Park and aMTB trails here.
