Makara Peak Mountain Bike Park

Story

In 1998 the Wellington City Council set aside 200 hectares of retired farmland in Karori southwest of Wellington, New Zealand for a mountain bike park. Development of the Makara Peak Mountain Bike Park began almost immediately with volunteer work parties planting trees, removing pest animals and digging new tracks.By 2014 the park had grown to 250 hectares with over 40 kilometres of hand-built single track and over 35,000 native seedlings planted. Pests such as goats, sheep, and possums had been dramatically reduced with volunteers maintaining possum traps and bait stations and mustelid traps, allowing new vegetation to flourish.The park is free to use and open to both cyclists and pedestrians. Approximately 30% of its users are pedestrians.The Makara Peak Mountain Bike Park was visited by 8% of the Wellington population in 2003 according to research carried out by the Wellington City Council. It has received a recreation award from the New Zealand Recreation Association and two conservation awards from the New Zealand Department of Conservation.The park is jointly managed by the Wellington City Council and Makara Peak Mountain Bike Park Supporters Inc.