Omeo Mountain Bike Complex Master Plan

Client: East Gippsland Shire Council
Location: Omeo, Victoria
Date: 2019 – ongoing

Services provided:

• Masterplan
• Detailed Flora and Fauna Assessments in line with all relevant legislative requirements
• Preparation of a project CHMP (approved)
• Preparation of historic heritage permits (approved)
• Preparation of planning application and planning permit (approved)
• Native vegetation offset site assessment and registration

Background:

East Gippsland Shire Council engaged Biosis, in conjunction with World Trail and Horizon Studio, to deliver the Omeo Mountain Bike Complex Master Plan. The master plan involved conducting detailed assessments of key factors including land tenure, terrain, site environmental values, Aboriginal cultural heritage and historical heritage.  

The outcomes of these assessments informed the detailed design of trail alignments to more accurately determine costs for native vegetation offsets and management, preservation of cultural and historical heritage, and construction costs for mountain bike trails in the Mount Sam State Forest. The master plan delivered detailed ground-truthed trail alignments, a native vegetation offset strategy, Cultural Heritage Management Plan, construction details and principals, and a trail management plan. 

Outcome:

Biosis prepared a detailed masterplan with World Trail and Horizon Studio demonstrating a world class mountain bike destination could be achieved at Omeo.

A number of detailed assessments occurred through this process including flora and fauna assessments, Aboriginal cultural heritage, historic heritage and planning. Throughout the preparation of these assessments, Biosis engaged with the relevant regulatory bodies including Council, Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, Parks Victoria, Traditional Owners and Heritage Victoria to ensure that they were aware of the project and any feedback could be integrated into our assessments.

After delivering the relevant planning, ecology, cultural heritage, aboriginal cultural heritage approvals for the project, the project was able to progress to construction.

Biosis is now working with the trail constructor to ensure compliance with the conditions of the project’s approvals, and have already carried out the required micro siting, project inductions and the preparation of a project Construction Environment Management Plan.  Throughout the construction period Biosis will be undertaking monitoring to ensure the CEMP is being implemented and project approvals are being complied with.