Final Call For Spectators and Musicians.
This Weekend, the third Tathra Enduro will kick off. This fast and furious mountain bike race will see some of the top Australian riders take on the fast and flowing labyrinth of track around Tathra.
For those wanting to get a look at the action, come to Thompsons Drive at Tathra. Plan to be there from about 9-11 o’clock to .
To get to the vantage point, if you are coming from Bega turn left into Thompsons Drive, just before you get into Tathra. Drive north for about 500 meters, you will see some cars parked on the left hand side of the road adjacent to a water tower. Park there, and walk across the road where you will see spectators and lots of music spur riders on in this challenging event. .
We have drummers, a choir, bagpipes, an industrial sized PA system blaring out inspiring Digeridoo music, and people making noise to help get riders up the steepest part of the Bungadung tracks. ‘Evil Tom’ is a punishing climb that will test the best of the racers on the day, and we are calling for spectators, musicians and noise makers to give riders a shot of adrenaline as they hit the top of the climb.
The track is fast, the weather forecast is perfect, and the stage is set for a great weekend of riding.
Matthew Nott
The Tathra Enduro mountain bike race is now into its third year, held on the weekend of 27/28 April.
On Saturday, there will be free kids races (starting at 2:20pm) and a 10km Prologue time trial (3pm-5pm). Race headquarters will be at the Tathra Country Club.
On Sunday, the real racing starts. For the ultra-keen, the 100km race kicks off at 7:30 am. Riders will steadily climb to the Dr George Mountain trig at an altitude of about 300m. The iconic Dr George fire trail will give riders stunning views of the Bega Valley to the west, and the Pacific Ocean to the east as they traverse some of the most rugged, majestic terrain the Bega Valley has to offer. If riders can afford a moment, they will discover beautiful coastal native forest as they take on the challenging terrain of the Mimosa Rocks National Park.
The 50km race starts at 8:30. The continued development of the Bundadung track will see riders take on almost 50km of sweet, fast, flowing single track, all within 5km of the Tathra township. The Bundadung tracks are in pristine condition and ready for action.
The Tathra Enuro is an event organised by local volunteers, who aim to see the event raise money for ongoing track development and renewable energy installations for the town of Tathra.
This year we are hoping to raise money for a wind turbine for the Tathra Hall. We aim to fix the wind turbine for the Tathra surf club (which has been hit by lightning), and relocate solar panels for the Bega Aboriginal Land Council. In 2011, the Enduro raised money for solar panels for the Bega Land Council, but they have subsequently moved offices, so the solar panels will have to be shifted. We are also keen to finish fundraising for a stand-alone solar system for the Upper Brogo Rural Fire Shed. This has been a work in progress since the Brogo LifeSaving Energy Big Swim in March 2012, and I am determined to make it happen. If there is money left over, we would like to consider getting solar panels onto the heritage listed Tathra Wharf.
Many thanks for the generous backing of local businesses and the Bega Valley Shire Council who have helped sponsor the event. If anyone is interested in entering or providing financial support to the event, go to www.mountainbiking.com.au. The Tathra Enduro is a community event organised by a large number of local volunteers who have a vision for their local region.
There are two things I am certain of. The Tathra Enduro is going to be one of the premier mountain bike races in Australia, and Tathra will be a community that benefits hugely from showing leadership on climate change.
Matthew Nott
Changing Polar Climate Affects Food Chain
Major changes to the food chain, weather and landscape of Antarctica have provided stark evidence of the impact of global warming, a report on a polar expedition has revealed.
The preliminary report on the research by scientists from the Australian Antarctic Division and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute near Boston suggest significant changes at the lowest level of the food chain, a vital source of sustenance for seabirds, seals and whales.
The expedition senior scientist of the Australian Antarctic Division, Steve Nicol, said in 25 years of surveying Antarctica, this was the first time he had experienced rain.
”Warming is evident in the moistness of the air in this area of the world’s driest continent. Rain is now not uncommon and whilst this may encourage plant life, it is probably detrimental to the health of many of the breeding birds,” it found.
”This moistness also results in more snow falling and this too can affect the breeding habits of nesting birds when it falls during their incubation period, burying their eggs in the cold snow.
”The glaciers draining the ice caps of the islands and the mountains of the peninsula are shrinking, too. This has resulted in the formation of more icebergs and a greater run-off of freshwater.”
Expedition leader Michael Aw said the team witnessed an increase in herbivores called salps, possibly at the expense of phytoplankton, which are consumed by fish and krill.
”The balance in the herbivore elements of the food chain determine the types of larger animals that can be supported,” he said. ”There are suggestions it is changing from one that supports krill and its predators [seabirds, seals, whales] to one that may result in more fish and possibly squid ? The whales also feed on the krill so there is a chain reaction.”
[Sourced from SMH 7/4/13]
Matthew Nott
CLIMATE COMMISSION REPORT ON EXTREME WEATHER A WAKE-UP CALL
The latest report from the Climate Commission on extreme weather should be a wake-up call for those living in the South East. The report, called The Critical Decade: Extreme weather was released on the 3rd April and can be found at climatecommission.gov.au. I suggest anyone interested in the future of our region should take a look at it.
According to the report climate change is already increasing the intensity and frequency of many extreme weather events.
The Summer of 2012/13 was the hottest on record and included the hottest sea-surface temperatures on record for the Australian region for January and February. All-time high maximum temperatures were measured at 44 weather stations across the country. Over the period 1971-2008, the duration and frequency of heatwaves have increased, and the hottest days during a heatwave have become even hotter.
Over the 2010-2011 period every state and territory had sites that set all-time rainfall records. Across Australia, it is more likely than not, that heavy rainfall events will become more frequent as the temperature increases.
For southeast Australia, nearly all of the climate models used in a recent analysis project a significant increase in drought by the end of the century.
The Forest Fire Danger Index, one of the measures of bushfire threat, has increased significantly in Australia. The increase has been most prominent in southeast Australia, and has been manifest as a longer duration fire season, with fire weather extending into November and March.
A sea-level rise of 0.5 m (compared to 1990), which lies near the lower end of the estimates for 2100, leads to surprisingly large impacts. For coastal areas a sea-level rise of 0.5 m would lead to very large increases in the incidence of extreme events, typically by a factor of several hundred and in some places by as much as one thousand.
An ever increasing level of atmospheric CO2 is giving weather systems a shot of adrenaline.
We are going to have to strengthen our Rural Fire Service and prepare communities for more frequent catastrophic bushfire events. We will have to change agricultural practices to cope with longer and more severe droughts, and we’ll have to start coping with more severe rainfall events and flooding. We will have to get smarter about water storage. We are going to have to plan for sea level rise, and work out how to absorb the huge cost of coastal inundation. We are going to have to adapt to changing fisheries. We will have to come up with strategies to protect the elderly from heat waves, and we will have to adapt to changing patterns of infectious and vector borne diseases. We are going to have to build a stronger sense of community resilience, and we going to have to stop looking for excuses.
Above all we are going to have to reduce our dependance on fossil fuels, and we need to do it quickly. Only strong preventive action now can stabilise the climate and slow the trend of increasing extreme weather for our children. We need strong leadership from politicians who are prepared to stand up and face the challenge of climate change.
Matthew Nott
Tathra Enduro 2013
This years Tathra Enduro mountain bike race is fast approaching.
The weekend of April 27/28 will see hundreds of intrepid bike riders racing around a 10 km prologue event on Saturday, and 20, 50 and 100 km events on Sunday.
Andrew Johnson and the Tathra crew have been working all year on course maintenance and track building to ensure that this years event will have one of the best mountain bike courses in Australia.
Sweet flowing trails, hilly terrain, beautiful native forest, ocean views, and access to great cafe’s and accommodation are combining to turn Tathra into a mountain biking mecca. The Tathra Enduro is destined to become one of Australia’s premier off-road bike races.
The Tathra Enduro is a community event.
The tracks are built and maintained by the people of Tathra, the race is run by volunteers, and money made from the event goes towards renewable energy installations for community buildings in Tathra.
The race has a strong local flavour. Last years event was accompanied by an array of musicians, belly dancers, drummers, bag-pipers, and a couple of gorillas.
We need help to make this race a memorable one. If anyone is interested in making some noise in the bush on Sunday 28 April, turn up on Thompsons Drive, Tathra at about 8:30 in the morning for a couple of hours. Bring flags, costumes, a vuvuzela, or anything else you can think of that will make a bit of noise. You’ll have a chance to see some of the best mountain bikers in the world.
Matthew Nott