Hinterland club hosts first BMX state series

THE Hinterland BMX Club recently hosted its very first state series round at the club’s grounds in Mooloolah, and had 42 riders from the club compete.

Throughout the six rounds of the Hutsix BMX State Series, riders collect points in their relevant BMX riding divisions, which then goes towards an overall tally.

At the Gympie State Championships, the top eight riders from each division will attend a presentation to determine who earnt the most points and therefore, is the winner of their division.

The local Mooloolah BMX club hosted round four of the state series, and Hinterland BMX Club secretary Jaclyn Smith said it was a great day for the club and the state series competitors.

“We had around 600 riders in total, and had the major elite riders on the coast so we had out superclass division, and also our juniors, men’s, and women’s as well. It was a fantastic day,” she said.

“Our club riders who competed on the day had everything from firsts, seconds and thirds, with many of the riders at the top of their divisions and most placed in the top eight.”

Jaclyn said the club couldn’t have run this special event without the help of all their valued volunteers, who ensured the day would be a success.

“We can’t run those events without our volunteers, and our volunteers came from all over Queensland offering to help. Our crew in the canteen kept the facility immaculate all day, and ensured hot food kept rolling out all day,” she said.

Bruce Highway is a top ‘red spot congestion’

CONGESTION on the Bruce Highway and other major roads in south-east Queensland has been identified as a significant issue in the latest Red Spot Congestion Survey conducted by RACQ.

Four out of the top five congested roads were identified as orbital motorways, including the Pacific Motorway, Bruce Highway - from Pine River Bridge to Caloundra - the Centenary Motorway, and Gateway Motorway. Dr Michael Kane, RACQ’s Head of Public Policy, emphasised the need for decisive action from the government to improve and complete the transport network in Brisbane. With the approaching 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games, members of RACQ are calling for existing motorways and public transport corridors to be fixed, finished, and extended. There are bottlenecks in the orbital motorway network, such as the Logan Motorway, that require attention, and ongoing projects need to be completed. Additionally, missing links in certain sections of the network need to be extended. To alleviate congestion and prevent traffic overload on certain roads like the Inner City Bypass and Pacific Motorway, there is a need for a “Western Bypass” link, which would complete a full outer-orbital road network around Brisbane City.

RACQ also highlighted concerns raised by members regarding key roads leading into the city, stressing the need for improved public transport infrastructure on these radial routes.

Enoggera Road, South Pine Road, Gympie Road, and Old Cleveland Road could benefit from better public transport options to ease congestion. Dr Kane further emphasised the importance of strategic long-term planning for the city’s growth and transportation needs, especially with the projected population of 4.5 million people in the south-east region within the next decade.

“The positive feedback from the riders was fantastic for our crew that puts so much time and effort in, it’s a small group of volunteers who maintain and do everything, so to have such great feedback fills our heart.”

He called for proactive planning to create the desired future cityscape and address the challenges resulting from inadequate past planning.

The Red Spot Congestion Survey is conducted biennially by RACQ to monitor and assess congestion levels.