Cycling tourists could pedal economic boost

Cycling ATM's is how 14 cyclists who recently cycled part of the Lachlan Valley Rail Trail would describe themselves. The Brisbane group ranging in ages from 64 to 77 strongly believe with investments from council and community support the trail could attract cyclists and tourists, becoming a valuable asset to the region. The group of 14 alone have spent thousands of dollars in our region, particularly Parkes. "We've spent $6000 alone at Court Street Motel, we've eaten out at different restaurants every night, we always find a bakery or cafe to stop in at and we use local facilities such as the laundromat," Jane Clarke said. Jane along with Jan Stevenson are the organisers behind the group ride as they used to own their own cycling company called 'Cycle Away'. "Once we closed the company we still go riding because we still want to ride," Jan said. The friends in tow with the ladies are riders who once used to cycle with the company and say they are just keen to go out and see the country. The group found out about the Lachlan Valley Rail Trail as they were doing the Central West Cycle Trail last year. "We want to come out and ride on the dirt, we want to look at places and spend our money, we're just touring cyclists," Jan said. "We've been on rail trails as they've developed and they get better and better when people realise how much money they can bring into a town." "It's an untapped resource because you've got these old railway lines and little used country roads that can be turned into fantastic cycle routes and people will come," Jane added. The group of friends drove to Parkes from Brisbane where they then rode to Trundle the next day. "We stayed at the Trundle Hotel and we must mention the young kids were lovely. They were serving behind the bar and helping out with food, they were running backwards and forwards all night," Jane said. From Trundle the group headed to Peak Hill where they stayed the night before coming back to Parkes. They cycled to Eugowra and utilised Court Street Motel's shuttle bus to get back to Parkes as there is no accommodation in Eugowra. An early morning the next day they were shuttled back to Eugowra for breakfast at the Fat Parcel before cycling to Forbes for another night, before returning to Parkes the next day. "We're getting a good little taste. It's a taste because we couldn't do the whole Lachlan Valley Rail Trail because all towns don't have accommodation or shuttles to use," both Jan and Jane said. As the pair have watched the development of their own local rail trails they have seen the impact it has had for surrounding little towns. "All those little towns along the cycle path, there's cafes that have opened up serving all these cyclists, on a weekend it's like Queen Street (Brisbane's main street)," Jane said. "When you go over to places like New Zealand they have the Otago Rail Trail which brings in a million dollars a year and even the Victoria trails do too." These Brisbane cyclists believe that cycle tourism is the way forward for tourism in country towns like Parkes, Forbes and Eugowra. The cyclists have cycled the rail trails near them and New Zealand for quite some time. "We can't keep going back out to them and we can't keep going back to New Zealand as beautiful as it is and the Central West is quite close," Jan said. "It's a hard ride and quite exhausting but it's quite a good ride, it's pretty around here and there is close distances which we don't have in Queensland." The group praised the gravel roads around our region and said with promotion and investment they believe the Lachlan Valley Rial Trail could became a popular cycling destination. The Brisbane group made it clear they aren't just riding through towns, they're investing in these towns. "It's been fun, the people we have met have been lovely and it's been uncomplicated," Jane and Jan added.

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