The Geelong Council appointed consultants to investigate the need for and feasibility of developing a network of horse trails on the Bellarine Peninsula.
Two key outcomes of the project were to assess demand for trails and the capacity of some or all of the proposed trails to be shared by horse riders, cyclists and / or walkers, and to recommend a management framework to ensure that any proposed trail is sustainable, affordable and of benefit.
Following community consultation, the draft study is available for comment.
Copies of the plan and feedback forms are available from:
- Geelong Customer Service Centre - City Hall, 30 Gheringhap Street, Geelong between 8am and 5pm weekdays
- Ocean Grove Customer Service centre - The Grove Centre, 78 Presidents Avenue, Ocean Grove between 9am and 5pm weekdays
- Drysdale Customer Service Centre - 18-20 Hancock Street, Drysdale between 9am and 5pm weekdays
- Geelong Council Website
The closing date for written submissions is 5pm, Friday, 2 July 2010.
Feedback can be submitted to Genevieve Twyford, Recreation and Open Space Planner, City of Great Geelong, PO box 104, Geelong, Vic 3220 or email gtwyford@geelongcity.vic.gov.au.
Further information can be obtained by phoning: (03) 5272 4754
The Bellarine Horse Trails Study - Horse Routes Report, June 2010 is available in Microsoft Word Format (2063kb) and the Bellarine Horse Trails Study - Background Report, August 2009 is also available in Microsoft Word Format (2020kb). (These document requires the use of Microsoft Word Reader).
The Executive Summary from the Horse Routes Report is reproduced below:
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Greater Geelong has appointed SGL to investigate the need for and feasibility of developing a network of horse trails on the Bellarine Peninsula. Two key outcomes of the project are to assess demand for trails and the capacity of some or all of the proposed trails to be shared by horse riders, cyclists and/or walkers, and to recommend a management framework to ensure the proposed Bellarine Horse Trail Network is sustainable, affordable and responsive.
Horse Riding on Public Land
Horse riding is not permitted on the beaches between Ocean Grove and Point Lonsdale, however, it is permitted at Point Richards, St Leonards and Indented Heads, and also 13th Beach, which is outside the study area.
The main reasons for excluding horse riding on beaches and foreshore areas are risk management and environmental. However, it is known that horse riding occurs on both the Ocean Grove to Point Lonsdale and the Portarlington to St Leonards beaches.
An opportunity exists to establish policies which eliminate risks and environmental damage whilst at the same time permitting horse riding on beaches. Strict conditions will be required and policing of access will be necessary. It will require negotiated outcomes between the various committees of management. At a minimum horse riding should not be permitted during peak holiday periods, on or near dunes or during nesting seasons. Other restrictions can include requiring horses to be ridden at walking pace when within 50 metres of other beachgoers. Access to the beaches should only be permitted at designated access points.
Horse riding is permitted on the Geelong to Drysdale, but not permitted on the Drysdale to Queenscliff section of the Rail Trail. However, no documentation has been found which confirms this situation.
Two issues will restrict horse access to the Rail Trail; risk management and damage to native vegetation. As with the beaches, horses are regularly ridden on the Drysdale to Queenscliff section of the Rail Trail. Anecdotal evidence suggests that horse riders are unaware they are not supposed to be on that section. A lack of signs prohibiting horse riding compounds the problem.
As with the beaches it is possible to overcome the problems of risk management and environmental degradation by appropriate management of horse riding. For example by not permitting horse riding when the railway is scheduled to operate, and requiring horse riders to remain on designated tracks, and to avoid clearly marked native vegetation, including grasses. A key management strategy is to signpost areas of significant native vegetation.
With goodwill by all stakeholders, safe and environmentally sustainable horse riding can be established on beaches and the Drysdale to Queenscliff section of the Rail Trail.
Sheppards Road has been identified as a suitable road for horse riding. The road between Banks Road and Portarlington-Queenscliff Road is public road maintained by Council. Consequently, horse riding is permitted on this section of the road. Sheppards Road, west from Banks Road to the Rail Trail is an unused Government road over which an agricultural license has been granted. Council has the option to have the license cancelled and reinstate it as a public road, and resume responsibility for care and maintenance of the road reserve. Sheppards Road to the east of Portarlington-Queenscliff Road is an unmaintained road reserve and significant native vegetation, likely of “very high significance” has regenerated. If horse access were to be permitted, a formal trail may be required to minimise damage to vegetation. Removal of vegetation will require a permit and Ministerial approval.
Potential Horse Routes
Very few opportunities exist to create a safe circular horse route on the Bellarine Peninsula. The best option revolves around the Bellarine Rail Trail (refer to map in Appendix A):
Lake Lorne – Gilles Road – Basin Road - Princess Road – Swan Bay Road – Banks Road – Andersons Road – Lake Lorne
Given the width of the road reserves, the amount of native vegetation, including native grasses, most horse riding will be done on the road, rather than the road verges. The route can be extended by including the Bellarine Rail Trail, subject to negotiating a suitable outcome with the Steam Preservation Society, and by opening Sheppards Road between the Rail Trail and Banks Road.
Additional out and back routes can include:
- Sheppards Road from Banks Road to Portarlington – Queenscliff Road
- Andersons Road from Banks Road to Manifold Road – Grassy Point Road – Batman Road or Coatsworth/Scotchmans Road
- Knights Road
Horse riding is permitted on all these roads, although if a route is to be promoted as being safe, advisory signs will be required, particularly where horse riders are required to cross a major road. As the roads are maintained for vehicular use, in some sections the size of the gravel stones used on the road surface may be uncomfortable for horses and hence unsuitable for horse riding.
Equestrian Clubs
Consultation with equestrian clubs in the Bellarine Peninsula has identified a series of issues which impact on horse riding:
All equestrian clubs have a common goals of improving horse riding facilities. They recognise that Barwon Heads has a major OH&S problem due to lack of security fencing. It is also too small to accommodate their membership.
A Grade 1 cross country course can be constructed at Drysdale, although this requires an extension of the Lake Lorne Reserve, into the adjacent reserve.
Substantial work is required to bring the Portarlington cross country course to a safe standard. Cross country courses are subject to ongoing vandalism and inappropriate uses by non horse riders.
Development of an overnight camping area has the potential to attract additional events, particularly two day events.
Horse groups on the Bellarine Peninsula have the opportunity to coordinate their activities and present a united front to Council, outlining their priorities for development.
Ideally a coordinating group will incorporate all horse recreational interests, including trail riders.
Recommendations
Improving the quality of horse riding facilities will involve three distinct approaches:
1. Relatively low cost actions which can be taken in the short term.
- In association with the horse riding community prepare a Code of Conduct for horse riders using horse friendly roads (and also for use on the Geelong to Drysdale section of the Bellarine Rail Trail).
- Designate the following roads as horse friendly: Lake Lorne - Gilles Road - Basin Road - Princess Street - Swan Bay Road - Banks Road - Andersons Road – Lake Lorne.
- Adequately signpost areas of remnant native vegetation along Gilles Road, Basin Road, Princess Street, Swan Bay Road, Banks Road and Andersons Road, particularly native grasses.
- Install advisory signs along Gilles Road, Basin Road, Princess Street, Swan Bay Road, Banks Road and Andersons Road at appropriate intervals to warn motorists of horse riders and to drive slowly (eg 40 kph).
- Promote the horse friendly route and code of conduct through Council’s normal media outlets (eg web site) and via the horse riding community.
- Monitor use of the route by horse riders, the incidence of accidents or near accidents involving horses and damage to native vegetation.
- Subject to satisfactory introduction of the horse friendly route (ie significant number of horse riders using the route, no negative feedback regarding the condition of the road surface or the speed of vehicles, no increase in accidents involving horses and no horse related damage to native vegetation), consider extending the horse friendly route with out and back links from Banks Road along Sheppards Road, and from Andersons Road to Burrows Road - Manifold Road – Grassy Point Road – Batmans Road.
- Adequately signpost areas of remnant native vegetation, particularly native grasses, along all designated horse friendly roads.
- Install advisory signs along Sheppards Road, Burrows Road, Manifold Road, Grassy Point Road and Batmans Road at appropriate intervals to warn motorists of horse riders. Advisory signs will also be required at the intersection of Andersons Road and Portarlington – Queenscliff Road and Batmans Road and Portarlington – Queenscliff Road to warn motorists of horse riders and horse riders of a major road.
2. Negotiations with public land managers to improve access to off road horse trails.
- Discussions be undertaken with the various land management agencies (Bayside Bellarine Committee of Management, Barwon Coast Committee of Management and Geelong Steam Preservation Society), regarding the feasibility of permitting horse riding in designated areas under their control, subject to specific conditions.
- Commence discussions with the Borough of Queenscliff relating to beach access at Point Lonsdale.
- Internally within Council, discuss horse access to beaches along Buckley Park.
- Horse riding only be permitted subject to the following conditions such as:
- At times when trains are not running on the Bellarine railway.
- At times of low use on beaches (eg winter and early morning in summer).
- At times which are not environmentally important to native flora and fauna (eg when the hooded plover is not nesting).
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