Background
After consulting with the community, the City developed a master plan for Manning Park in 2018. This plan outlines the park's long-term vision and details the steps the City will take to bring this vision to life.
The master plan acknowledges a growing demand for passive recreational activities within the park, particularly mountain biking. Over time, informal trails have emerged in the park's upland area due to the frequent use of bicycles and walking. The plan outlines several actions to responsibly meet this increasing demand and ensure the park's sustainability. These actions include creating purpose-designed trails for walking and biking and closing and rehabilitating some of the existing informal trails.
The City started with a draft concept plan for the mountain-bike trail network and released this for community feedback in 2020.
The City received more than 50 expressions of interest from residents seeking participation in the group. An independent facilitator assessed these submissions based on selection criteria and the aim of achieving broad representation. Ultimately, 18 representatives were chosen, representing various Manning Park user groups, including:
- Local residents
- Trail running and walking
- Mountain bike riding
- Orienteering
- Friends of Manning Ridge
- Cockburn Community Wildlife Corridor
- Spearwood Progress Association
- Hamilton Hill Community Group
- Members suggested by the Aboriginal Reference Group or associated individuals.
These representatives attended four workshops and an outcomes meeting guided by the independent facilitator. The facilitator compiled a report for Council highlighting key findings and offering recommendations for the next steps. For further details, read the report in the document library.
Over 1,100 people, mainly from Cockburn and Fremantle local government areas, provided feedback on the draft. Key feedback themes included:
- Manning Park is a popular regional destination with significant environmental, social, recreational and cultural values.
- Users visit the park for various reasons, from trail running to picnics by the lake.
- Manning Park should be a welcoming space where all users can co-exist respectfully with each other and the environment.
- Over 60% of respondents said the draft was 'good' or 'very good', or they were somewhat happy with it.
- However, participants identified several key challenges, including how to:
- Enhance environmental outcomes and protect significant areas within the park,
- Integrate the needs of other user groups and
- Achieve an appropriate scale and scope of trails.
For more information, view the feedback summary in the document library.
The City formed a community working group to help address these key issues and offer potential solutions.
About the Community Working Group
The City received more than 50 expressions of interest from residents seeking participation in the group. An independent facilitator assessed these submissions based on selection criteria and the aim of achieving broad representation. Ultimately, 18 representatives were chosen, representing various Manning Park user groups, including:
- Local residents
- Trail running and walking
- Mountain bike riding
- Orienteering
- Friends of Manning Ridge
- Cockburn Community Wildlife Corridor
- Spearwood Progress Association
- Hamilton Hill Community Group
- Members suggested by the Aboriginal Reference Group or associated individuals.
These representatives attended four workshops and an outcomes meeting guided by the independent facilitator. The facilitator compiled a report for Council highlighting key findings and offering recommendations for the next steps. For further details, read the report in the document library.
