Taking a sensitive approach to carving cycle tracks into Central Otago’s landscape is a high priority for Neil and Katrine Gellatly.

Teaching the next generation of riders that doing it by hand is better than machine is part of their mission.

The couple own and live on a 18ha block at Butchers Point Road near Alexandra called ‘Badlands’.

It’s a rocky, steep, mountain-bikers heaven but there’s not much in the way of topsoil or vegetation.

The area is not yet open to the public, Neil says, but work is slowly progressing and many in the community were lending support.

Tracks for biking and walking have been carefully created over the past three years to prevent scarring of the hill and eight more are planned over the next four years.

Four kilometres of track have been built at the sedate rate of about 4m per hour, on land which slopes down to the Roxburgh

Gorge cycle trail. Access, once the facility was open, would only be via this trail to protect privacy of residents.

The trails constructed to date had been independently audited as being ‘uphill grade 3’ and two trails as ‘downhill grade 6’, according to a council report.

Grading of tracks would be varied to ensure there was something suitable for all skill levels, the meeting heard, with ‘ride around’ options on more challenging sections.

It was anticipated that the tracks could be open to the public for eight months of year during spring, summer and autumn, from September this year.

An event organiser by trade, Neil told the Vincent Community Board this week that no diggers are used and high school students keen on biking had been employed as a way of teaching the next generation how to build “sustainable trails”.

Plans include running events with any profits being donated to the Mountain Bikers of Alexandra(MOA) club to encourage youth.

“The aims of future events run on the land would be to fundraise for MOA to assist young passionate mountain-bike youth in the community with coaching, event entry fees and travel and possibly bikes. The funding would be managed by the club”, Neil said.

The couple’s commitment to protecting the land long-term is such that 14ha is subject to an application to the QEII National Trust to become a covenant with public access, by 2027.

Otago has the largest land area protected by covenants in New Zealand, covering over 63,000ha. Gaining the status will help Badland’s fund the project, with the VCB granting $3130 this week toward signage.

This was $1800 less than requested and was granted on the proviso that the application to the Trust is successful.

Board member Dr Roger Browne described the project as a “great innovation”.