Brief

Location: Mount Victoria - Matairangi, Wellington, New Zealand
Land Manager: Wellington City Council (WCC)
Trail Care: Matairangi Trail Builders
Trail Standard: New Zealand Mountain Bike Trail Design & Construction Guidelines - August 2022
Length: Within existing defined park boundary

This brief outlines the conceptual design for the Matairangi Skills Park. The core vision is to create a central, community-focused hub for mountain biking that serves riders of all ages and abilities.

1. Vision & Guiding Principles

The key principles guiding the design are:

• Community Hub: Create a destination for mountain biking, similar to a modern skate park, that includes facilities and amenities for parents, spectators, and riders.

• Eco-Conscious Design: Embrace an eco-conscious approach, with extensive native tree regeneration as a key feature that enhances the park's environment.

• Controlled Progression: Provide a controlled and progressive environment for riders to practice features in a more visible and supervised setting than on the wider trail network.

• Rider Development: Cater to a complete spectrum of user groups, with a primary focus on skill development for younger riders.

  • 18 months - 5 years (Children): Developing balance and momentum (Balance Bikes).

  • 5 - 10 years (Juniors): Developing pedal control, braking, cornering, and momentum (20"-24" Bikes).

  • 10 - 15 years (Youth): Handling moderate gradients and jumps (26-27.5" Bikes).

  • 15 - 24 years (Young Adults): Pushing skill limits (Full Size Bikes).

  • 25 - 44 years (Adults): Mixed fitness and skill levels.

  • 44+ years (Recreation Riders): Typically more risk-averse.

2. Key Trail Features

The park will include a diverse range of features to support skill progression:

• Progressive Jump Lines: Grade 2 through Grade 5. A starting platform may be required to achieve the necessary speed for a Grade 6 line. A mulch jump could also be included.

• Progressive Drops: Grade 2 through Grade 6.

• Technical Skill Sections: Rock gardens, simulated tree roots, and other natural surface features for skill development.

• Timber Features: A variety of timber balance features of progressing difficulty, including the retention and refurbishment of the existing suspension bridge.

• Dual Slalom Track: A purpose-built course featuring pump sections, bermed corners, and rolling jumps.

• Return/Climb Trails:

  • Separate trails for beginner and advanced riders to minimise conflict.

  • Beginner climb likely on the eastern side (through trees).

  • Advanced climb likely on the western side (through trees).

  • Trails must balance a sustainable gradient with the understanding that users will often take the most direct route back to the top.

3. Site Considerations & Constraints

All designs will work within the specific opportunities and constraints of the site:

• Primary Area: The main development will be focused within the current open grassy area, which is approximately 100m long x 50m wide, with a 10m drop (10% gradient).

• Site Boundaries:

  • West: Avoid disrupting the existing trails under the trees.

  • East: Be mindful of potential future encroachment from the state highway.

  • South: The Southern Walkway must not be negatively impacted. It can be rerouted slightly uphill, but its current entry and exit points must be maintained.

• Landscaping: Any retained grass areas must remain accessible for council mowers. Areas between trails will be filled with native plantings, using mulch which can also serve as a soft-fall surface. The new plantings will increase tree coverage and enrich and visually integrate with the neighboring regenerative efforts surrounding the Shuttlecock and Te Tuarā trails.

• Access: Machinery access for trail maintenance must be preserved throughout the design.

4. Water Management

The design will responsibly manage water flow:

• The current system channels water via two courses at the base of the hill into underground pipes, draining into the western gully.

• The design must maintain this drainage pattern. The project will explore the option of "daylighting" the water—removing the pipes and using open, rock-lined swales to slow the water flow and manage it above ground into the gully (subject to confirmation).