Anyone using the Cotter Road underpass to access Equestrian Park over the last few years would be aware that the banks of Yarralumla Creek have been steadily eroding to the extent that an entire concrete retaining wall has fallen into the waterway. As part of the Commonwealth funded Healthy Waterways Project it has been planned for some time to undertake remediation and stabilisation in the…
Recreational drones have been a problem for equestrians for some time and since 2017 ACTEA has been engaging with every conceivable government authority in a fruitless attempt to find someone who will take responsibility for them. The advent of noisy big delivery drones has in some ways been a blessing in disguise because they have caused an outcry across the Canberra community. ACTEA has been…
A new horse holding yard is being built in the block between Forest Park Riding School and Mt Stromlo Road this week. The yard is being constructed by Stromlo Forest Park modelled on the yard at the Arboretum. The idea is to enable riders to float their horses to the yard and ride into SFP via the cavaletti on the Mt Stromlo Road. The gate…
Some people might remember that there has been a long term plan to connect Stromlo Forest Park to the Molonglo River corridor as part of the Bicentennial National Trail. Another part of this, as yet incomplete, jigsaw puzzle has finally fallen in to place with a decision by SFP management to create an equestrian trail which connects the existing trails on the eastern face of…
On 5 March the Yarralumla Woolshed was officially included on an existing Woden Heritage Track by Minister Mick Gentleman. Neither ACTEA or the Equestrian Park Management Group were advised or consulted about this move. They found out when signs were installed at the Woolshed the week before the official launch. There are now 3 signs around the Woolshed outlining its history including the creation of…
The ACT Government has made money available this financial year for a feasibility and design study for a cycling connection between Woden and Weston Creek via Davenport and Heysen Street in Lyons. The entrance to Illoura Horse Paddocks is at the intersection of Davenport and Heysen Streets. The equestrian link between Illoura Paddocks and the equestrian crossing on Streeton Drive travels in part along the…
There has been some progress in regard to a running group permanently sharing the Bicentennial National Trail at North Weston Ponds. Since the Parkrun group have a permit until April this year it is unlikely that they will be prevented from running. There have been conversations with City Presentation about conditions they can place on the event in the interests of equestrian safety. Parkrun Coombs…
Some people will have noticed an article in the Canberra Times on 30 January about the planned new trails in the Arboretum https://www.canberratimes.com.au/national/act/new-12-kilometre-trail-planned-for-national-arboretum-20190128-p50u5u.html. The article took the Arboretum by surprise; the journalist having picked up the project from the ACT Government Tender website and not from talking to the Arboretum. Having said that, the contents of the story are substantially correct although the Arboretum itself…
As a direct result of the Zoo Pines confrontation and the increase in illegal bike tracks in the ACT pine forests Forestry ACT has acquired the services of an ACT Parks ranger with experience in recreational planning and community engagement, Jasmine Foxlea, to develop a recreation management plan for the ACT Pine Forests. Jasmine has started work and will be consulting with the huge range…
As reported in the Canberra Time on Saturday 24 November work has started on the housing development on the corner of Katherine Street and Darwinia Terrace in Chapman. A security fence has gone up and there is earth moving equipment on site. The Bicentennial National Trail from Eucumbene Drive uses the northern verge of Kathner Street to access Coolaman Ridge Nature Reserve and connect to…
