By Derek Schlennstedt
Elite mountain bike rider Sarah Riley’s affinity for the Upper Yarra’s Lilydale to Warburton Rail Trail and O’Shannassy Aqueduct Trail dates back to growing up in Mount Evelyn.
Spending much of her youth training on what she considers some of the best natural tracks in the world, Riley now wants to ensure that others are given the opportunity to enjoy the many trails and tracks that Warburton has to offer.
“I rode bikes when I was younger, but never had trails per se, so rode around the Warburton trail mainly,” she said.
“The trails are all very natural – in a lot of other places in Australia and overseas, the trails are more contrived or like parks; it’s just awesome to be able to train in such a natural environment, and it’s just magic, it’s like riding through a fairy-tale.”
Riding those trails before they were more established led Riley to start road racing quite seriously before training and competing in mountain biking in 2014.
After racing in the UCI World Mountain Bike Marathon Championships and winning her first national mountain marathon in 2015, a serious bike crash left her with a fractured left femur and unable to walk.
Despite her injuries Riley made a return to Elite Cross Country racing just 12 months later, riding in the National Mountain Bike Series across Australia this year and making the world championships.
Another crash in practice two days before the world championships resulted in a broken collarbone and meant she was unable to compete.
Riley said although she was disappointed to have missed out on the opportunity to race in the world championships she reflected on her journey, which, she said, was sometimes more important than the destination.
Upon returning home, one of her first rides after both injuries was a long ride from Mount Evelyn to Warburton.
“While I was overseas and racing world courses earlier this year, it made me realise the quality of the trails in Warburton and Mount Evelyn,” she said.
“Myself, and other young riders have been lucky to have these trails growing up as a training ground.”
The natural tracks and beauty of the Upper Yarra Valley makes it a go to destination, and Riley is strongly advocating for its recognition as an international destination for cyclists.
“It’s so important that we continue to advocate for the Warburton Mountain Destination Bike Hub and for the Yarra Valley Trail, for the area to reach its potential as a walking and cycling destination with world class trails.”
Plans for the Yarra Valley Trail and Warburton Mountain Bike Destination project are underway, with Yarra Ranges Council applying to State Government for funding.
So far council has applied for $2.08 million through the State Government’s Growing Suburbs Fund to develop stage one of the Warburton Mountain Bike Destination project, and would also contribute $1.78 million from council together with another $300,000 from the Warburton Yarra Junction Community Bank.
Stage one of the Warburton Mountain Bike Destination project will involve the construction of a unique world-class mountain biking trail network with supporting infrastructure and network base in Warburton.
Council has applied for $2.5 million with the State Government’s Growing Suburbs Fund to contribute to the $5m Stage 1 Yarra Valley Trail project which will deliver an 11km accessible walking and cycling trail connecting Lilydale, Coldstream and Yarra Glen.
