Pumping under Tonkin Gap

• Creation of a new pump track, mountain bike skills area and a canoe landing facility
• Family friendly all abilities space
• Includes a yarning circle and Aboriginal artwork recognising Whadjuk Noongar culture

A barren area under the widened Mooro-Beeloo Bridge (formerly Redcliffe Bridge), on the City of Bayswater side, has been revitalised with a new BMX pump track and mountain bike skills facility for people of all ages and abilities to enjoy.

The family friendly space includes a pump track with a looped sequence of humps and banked turns, a mountain bike skills area dedicated to riders developing specific off-road bike handling skills and a canoe landing.

Early in Tonkin Gap Project ‘s lifecycle, an opportunity to enhance this area as a community amenity was identified.

The area is of great significance to the Whadjuk Noongar people and a comprehensive consultation process was undertaken with key stakeholders, the local community and the project’s Traditional Owner Working Group during the works and design for this space.

Aboriginal culture and history have been incorporated into the design including a yarning circle, Whadjuk revegetation planting, traditional artwork and the preservation of two scar trees identified during the heritage survey at the start of the project.

Principal Project Director Rob Arnott said it is not often a community activation facility can be delivered as part of a large infrastructure project. From initial discussions with the City of Bayswater on developing this space, to consulting with over 700 community members, it was clear that the locals wanted this space converted into a family-friendly area.

People can easily access the area from the principal shared path built as part of the project and the allweather facility has showcased opportunities to turn underutilised spaces into active ones. Since officially opening in April 2024, the facility has been used and enjoyed by hundreds of people.