Bundarrah Days

By Robyn Burke

The Tom Quilty Endurance Ride is planned to be staged in the Bunyip State Park in Nov’08.

This is a well known national event that would bring some 4000 visitors to Cardinia Shire.

On applying for a permit to Parks Victoria the person in charge of setting the tracks, Jane Mclaughlin, has met with major problems. The last management plan saw the demise of many tracks to suit local residents on the problem of motorised vehicle noise, therefore limiting the distance needed to run such an event. Many of the through tracks are now Management Vehicle Only (MVO) tracks but some are also 4WD by permit only.

These tracks remain gated . Since the resolution of the management plan the Federation of Victorian Bushwalkers have been given access to these tracks, and apparently pushbike riders, but not horse riders,

Why not?? Other members of the Community Advisory Group for the Management Plan were not advised of these changes.

Jane Mclaughlin met with Parks Victoria & bushwalkers to ask for access to these tracks for this one major event and was given a resounding NO.

Why do a minority group like the bushwalkers have so much clout??

Horse riders need to unite, we are such a fragmented lot, dressage, trail, endurance, etc.,etc. but there does not seem to be a united body (like the Victorian Bushwalkers Federation, AMTRA for motorbikes, and national 4WD Clubs) The loss of good bridle trails in our forests is becoming very obvious.

Please write, phone, email Parks Vic, John Thwaites MP, Cardinia Council, and any other group or person that may be able to influence the outcome of the Tom Quilty Ride with your complaints and suggestions.

Please forward email onto other riders so they can also participate.

Let’s unite for the sake of horse riding in the future.

Email Jane McLaughlin here: hmlaughlin@iinet.net.au