![A mountain bike rider travels down a track on Nail Can Hill which is also used by walkers. Such shared trails are now being flagged for Eastern Hill. A mountain bike rider travels down a track on Nail Can Hill which is also used by walkers. Such shared trails are now being flagged for Eastern Hill.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/XJLgPnEdnKaFugZzKyL6Sw/1257e0c1-84cf-4ca1-8188-091875ed24fa.jpg/r0_265_5184_3191_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The Friends of Eastern Hill want a revised Albury Council master plan for the slope to be rejected, accusing the city of using "weasel words" on mountain biking.
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An updated draft of the Eastern Hill plan will go before the council meeting on Monday, November 27 with a recommendation that it be endorsed.
The agenda for Monday's meeting notes the panel found no consensus on the development of a mountain bike trail network, designated mountain bike gatherings and events and the separation of mountain bike riders from other users.
It was reported three panel members were very supportive of mountain bike trails, one was somewhat, one offered qualified backing and two were strongly against them.
As a result the abbreviation 'MTB' is flagged for removal from five previous recommendations in the draft plan.
It is proposed "designate MTB gatherings/events" change to "provision of dedicated bike facilities" and "develop an (sic) MTB trail network" become "develop a shared use trail network".
Friends of Eastern Hill member Glenda Chapman, whose group opposes bike trails in the area, said while mountain bike may have been dropped from recommendations words such as "flow trails" were still used.
"They're trying to treat the community as fools, they're trying to use words to cover up their true intent," Ms Chapman said.
"I think they really need to have more community consultation with the users of the hill, make a genuine effort to find out how people want the hill used."
Ms Chapman said members of her group would address councillors in a forum before the issue is debated on Monday night and ask them to not accept the plan.
![Friends of Eastern Hill's Glenda Chapman is unimpressed with a revised plan for the bush corridor between East Albury and Eastern View Estate. Friends of Eastern Hill's Glenda Chapman is unimpressed with a revised plan for the bush corridor between East Albury and Eastern View Estate.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/XJLgPnEdnKaFugZzKyL6Sw/b2d6459b-ada5-4e07-9529-73f90ff5bf63.jpg/r0_0_5568_3712_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Albury Wodonga Mountain Bikers panel representative Brad Spinelli noted that five of seven community groups supported riding on Eastern Hill.
"Since the advisory panel was set up the number of trails have gone from five to three and we're supportive of that," Mr Spinelli said.
"We were prepared to compromise on the plans on the mountain bike side of things and we believe it's a good outcome for the hill."
Mr Spinelli said he believed shared rather than dedicated bike tracks could be successful.
"On Nail Can Hill the trails are used by lots of different user groups, such as runners and dog walkers, so I feel it can work," he said.
Albury Council's team leader natural areas Nerilee Kerslake notes in her report to council that throughout the process "it was clear there are polarised views within the community on some of the draft master plan concepts".
"It is acknowledged that the final version of the master plan may not be fully supported by all members of the community, however the master plan is an aspirational and strategic plan that attempts to balance the needs of the entire community, by sensitively balancing future activation whilst protecting Eastern Hill's unique natural character," Ms Kerslake stated.