Barwon South West Regional Trails Master Plan 2009-2019

The Barwon South West Region of Victoria is comprised of nine local government authorities:

1. the City of Greater Geelong
2. the Warrnambool City Council
3. the Shires of Surf Coast
4. Colac Otway
5. Corangamite
6. Moyne
7. Glenelg
8. Southern Grampians
9. the Borough of Queenscliffe

The region has a significant number of tracks and trails of varying types and standards, a small number of which are of a high profile and attract visitors from both within and outside of the region.

Local government authorities and other land managers throughout the region have contributed to recreation trail development in response to increasing public demand. However, individual trail developments have typically been developed in isolation from other trail development elsewhere in the region.

As a result, there is a lack of physical and promotional linkages between trails throughout the region and a range of trail construction and maintenance standards, funding sources and governance arrangements.

In response, the regional local government authorities and other key land management agencies, lead by the Colac Otway Shire Council, commissioned the preparation of the Regional Trail Master Plan for the Barwon South West Region (hereafter the Master Plan). The need for the Master Plan is supported by:

• a range of State government policy documents that highlight the value of trails for their health, economic, and social benefits;
• various trends in recreation that show increasing use of trails for recreation across a range of activities but notably for walking and bicycle riding; and
• continuing community and visitor pressures for improved trail facilities.

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Table of Contents

Section 1 Introduction

1.1 Background

1.2 Purpose of the Study

1.3 Approach

1.3 Report Structure

1.4 Acknowledgements

1.5 Limitations

Section 2 The Barwon South West Region

2.1 Study Area

2.2 Audit of Regional Trails

2.3 Review of the Policy Framework

2.4 Trends in Recreation Participation

2.4 Visitor Numbers and Visitor’s use of Trails

• 2.4.1 Visitor Numbers
• 2.4.2 Visitor’s Use of Trails

2.5 Potential Benefits of Regional Trails

2.6 Overview of Community Consultation

2.7 Benchmarking of Regional Trails

Section 3 Identifying Regional Trail Opportunities

3.1 Definition of Regional Trails

3.2 Vision

3.3 Criteria for Identifying Regional Trails

3.4 Assessment of Nominated Best Regional Trail Prospects

3.5 The Proposed Regional Trail Network

• 3.5.1 Best Prospect Regional Trails and Mountain Bike Hubs
• 3.5.2 Strategic Benefits of the Proposed Regional Trail Network
• 3.5.3 Evaluation of the Trails Within the Regional Network

3.6 Order of Cost Estimate for the Development and Improvement of Trails in the Regional Trail Network

3.7 Estimate of Economic Benefits

3.8 Other Nominated Trails

Section 4 Critical Issues

4.1 Governance and Policy

4.2 Coordinated Planning and Development

4.3 An Emphasis on Infrastructure not Experience

4.4 Marketing and Promotion

4.5 Funding for the Future

Section 5 Strategic Action Plan

5.1 Clear Leadership, Policy and Governance Structure for Regional Trails

• 5.1.1 Background
• 5.1.2 Priority Actions

5.2 Improved Co-ordination of Trail Planning, Development and Management

• 5.2.1 Background
• 5.2.2 Priority Actions

5.3 Experience-led Trail Development

• 5.3.1 Background
• 5.3.2 Priority Actions

5.4 Effective and Co-ordinated Marketing and Promotion

• 5.4.1 Background
• 5.4.2 Priority Actions

5.5 Increased Funding and Resources for Trail Planning, Development, Management and Maintenance

• 5.5.1 Background
• 5.5.2 Priority Actions

5.6 Ten Year Action Plan for the Region

5.7 Action Plans for the Proposed Regional Trails

5.8 Review of the Regional Trails Master Plan

• View other Projects, Plans and Studies