Bayside cyclists pumped at council’s U-turn on bike courses

Bayside City Council will invest almost $700,000 into recreational biking infrastructure, after attempting to block riders from building a makeshift course in a park last year.

The council’s recent budget announced $350,000 would be put towards building a pump track – a purpose-built circuit popular with mountain bikers and BMX riders. The council also committed a further $347,000 towards upgrading an existing dirt track in Tulip Street, Cheltenham.

The investment marks a departure from the views raised by a number of councillors at a meeting in July last year, when a makeshift BMX course at Hurlingham Park in Brighton East was called an “unauthorised excavation” and deemed necessary to remove.

The controversial motion was eventually withdrawn, and the council later released a statement that said it was “scoping potential recreation infrastructure opportunities”.

Twelve-year-old Nathan Gyorki, a Bayside resident and keen mountain bike rider, was excited to hear about the recent funding.

“I really like [biking]. I go a lot with my friends … the problem is, there’s not really anywhere to go. So we’re riding down stairs to practise our skills in places that aren’t really safe,” he said.

Nathan created a petition urging Bayside Council to build a pump track in Elsternwick Park, which has attracted more than 1100 signatures.

The closest pump track to his home is currently in Windsor, which takes 30 minutes by bike to reach, and involves riding on major roads. Nathan said many riders had instead opted to build their own temporary courses from dirt in existing parkland, which became particularly popular during COVID-19 lockdowns.

“It’s really good that [the council] have actually gone through with this. Me and my friends who live around the area will be very excited,” Nathan said.

“It’ll be a really good place for kids to get together off screens. Ride around, exercise and have fun.”

Preliminary designs of new facilities at Elsternwick Park South and Hurlingham Park both feature pump tracks, which means two circuits could potentially be built if both plans are accepted.

The proposed concepts will need to be approved by the council and undergo further community consultation before being finalised. Construction is expected to start in 2027.

Bayside Mayor Debbie Taylor-Haynes said the investment into recreational activities was a result of community consultation during the development of the council’s Active Bayside Strategy.

“Giving Bayside’s young people access to free, fun and enjoyable outdoor activities is a priority for this council,” Taylor-Haynes said.

“Through strategically maximising the value of our open spaces and delivering multi-use facilities, we’re creating places that are accessible, inclusive and enjoyable for everyone.”

Bicycle Network chief executive Alison McCormack said funding recreational facilities such as pump tracks was an important part of encouraging a greater cycling culture within communities.

“[They] are a safe and accessible place not only for children to learn to ride, but to gain strength, fitness and confidence on a bike. They’re a fantastic location for families and help to teach the joy of riding from a young age,” McCormack said.

McCormack said that there was still space to improve commuter-centric cycling facilities in the bayside area, such as filling in the missing sections of the Caulfield-to-Frankston rail trail and developing better biking infrastructure on suburban streets.

In Bayside, cyclists are also advocating for funding to be put towards other active infrastructure projects, including a proposed cycling connection between Sandringham and Cheltenham.

The first section of this project was completed in 2024, and a council spokesperson said further progress requires support and funding from other levels of government – particularly in relation to the impacts of the Suburban Rail Loop.

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