2021-03-09 P&E Agenda - Item 5 - Attachment 1 - Noosa Trail Masterplan

                          Mountain biking
                          Mountain biking continues to grow as one of the                           Australia’s (MTBA) database exceeds 70,000
                          fastest and most popular family-friendly lifestyle                        individual members and over the last four years,
                                             activities in Australia. Nationally                    MTBA’s financial membership has grown by 59%,
                                             it is estimated that 2.3M adults                       with nine new clubs established in 2018, taking
                                             participate in cycling. Data                           total club representation across Australia to 168.
                                             on the actual participation in                         Data for a potentially larger market of users – the
                                             mountain biking in Australia                           recreational, non-competitive rider – is again difficult
                                             is largely collated from two                           to capture, however indicative measures such as
                                             sources – MTBA’s database                              off-road bicycle sales and unofficial monitoring of
                                             and statistics and the Ausplay                         trailheads paint a picture of a much larger user base
                                             National Sports Participation                          than shown by gateway data such as events and
                                             Survey 2018. Mountain Bike                             memberships.




                         E-bikes
                         Electric/power-assisted bikes also represent one                          e-bike sales are likewise anticipated to increase.
                         of the fastest growing segments of the bike industry                      This is across all e-bike categories, on and off-road.
                         as they allow riders to extend their cycling distance
                                                                                                   Currently, riders in general are seeking a broad
                         and, perhaps more importantly, encourage more
                                                                                                   range of experiences from local urban and peri-
                                                users into the recreational
                                                                                                   urban trails through to remote wilderness style
                                                cycling fold, including a
                                                                                                   longer distance riding experiences.
                                                significant proportion who
                                                would otherwise not have                           Many Australian owners of e-bikes have
                                                considered cycling as a                            enthusiastically described how their lives have been
                                                preferred recreation due to                        transformed. E-bikes deal with the hills, headwinds
                                                concerns about age or fitness.                     and sweating that discourage bike riding.10
                                                Further, it is significantly
                                                                                                   Given this Masterplan’s recommendation for the
                                                extending the upper age limit
                                                                                                   Noosa region to develop its mountain biking trail
                                                of riders while also increasing
                                                                                                   capacity and the potential for hinterland ‘gravel
                                                their overall average usage,
                                                                                                   grind / back country’ riding – both of which involve
                                                leading to health and wellbeing
                                                                                                   significant hill climbing – the growth of e-bikes
                                                gains. It is also beginning to
                                                                                                   presents a significant opportunity to target a fast-
                         impact tourism with this new type of rider actively
                                                                                                   growing market. This is a market that shares similar
                         seeking cycling experiences suitable to e-bikes.
                                                                                                   characteristics to the visitor profile that views Noosa
                         With relevance to off-road and back country riding                        as an ideal tourism destination. Further, e-bike users
                         where ascents are common – and quite often a                              will seek out Noosa cycling experiences as a matter
                         deterrent for riders – e-bikes are allowing a broader                     of course, regardless of proactive development, and
                         user capture than the traditional market, which in                        it is strongly suggested that the coming wave be
                         the past has been defined as younger and more                             engaged with proactively, rather than reactively to
                         physically capable, and has allowed access into                           best capture economic benefit.
                         non-typical (for them) terrain. E-bikes make pedalling
                                                                                                   It is important to note that e-bikes are not
                         up hills easier and are therefore opening up off-road
                                                                                                   ‘motorised bikes’, rather they are pedal assisted,
                         cycling opportunities to a much bigger market than
                                                                                                   with limiters that cut out any assistance at regulated
                         would be attracted if limited to traditional non-power-
                                                                                                   speeds, meaning they do not move any faster or with
                         assisted bicycles.
                                                                                                   any more ferocity downhill or on flat ground than a
                         One in three bikes sold in Europe is an ‘e-bike’.9                        regular non-assisted bike. Further it is considered
                         It is estimated that more than 40 million e-bikes are                     that there is no greater environmental impost
                         expected to be sold each year by 2023. Australian                         compared to regular bikes.




                          9 www.abc.net.au/news/2019-07-06/electric-motors-might-change-congestion-cycle/11282384
                          10 www.rac.com.au/about-rac/media/media-releases/june-2017/electric-bike-trials-a-big-success




NOOSA TRAIL MASTERPLAN | APRIL 2020                                                                                                                      28