The grant is part of the Regional Tourism Bushfire Recovery (RTBR) grant program - an Australian Government bushfire recovery initiative and aims to stimulate tourism and economic activity in regions affected by bushfire.

Nambucca Valley Council will work in partnership with the Nambucca Valley Cycle Club and Forestry Corporation of NSW to develop up to 10km of new trails within the forest. The new trails will be located within the Club's approved 'occupation' area, and will be completed by local contractors and club volunteers over the next nine months.

The grant funds, totalling $145,000, have been allocated for two projects:

Project 1 ($117,500) is for the upgrade of Jacks Ridge Mountain Bike Track, and will also include delivery of a composting toilet, security monitoring equipment, directional and information signs along the trails, an electronic timing system for race events, and digital and print promotion of the track.

Project 2 is for staging the 2021 Triple X event on the upgraded track. Grant funds of $27,500 have been allocated for this.

The annual Triple X race is traditionally held on a Sunday, however in 2021 it will expand into a weekend of festivities, with music, participation rides for juniors and short elimination races on the day before the 'big race'.

"Considering that everything has been done on a 'shoestring budget' since the club was formed in 2011, this funding is an amazing windfall for us," president Ian Porteous said.

Ian acknowledged the work Nambucca Valley Council staff and club members put into crafting the successful application, particularly given the difficulty of meeting and discussing the project during the height of the COVID-19 restrictions earlier this year.

Interested community members are invited to join the friendly team out at Jacks Ridge. Email nvcc55@gmail.com to get in touch.

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