crf338
Member
I lived on 15 acres in Upper Beaconsfield with the neighbours on both sides of us owning and riding dirtbikes on all 3 properties (around about 40 acres all up) and we always got in trouble for riding. We only rode on weekends and during reasonable hours (after 11am and before 6pm) and despite one of the property owners being the first house in the street and a council member we still got sprayed for it. Like you said MXGIRL, our family moved away from the big smoke to ride bikes and have freedom of land use but still were not able to ride in peace. The red tape and paperwork wrecked it for us, we moved to Western Victoria lol but Cardinia shire council is one of the strictest in semi rural Victoria when it comes to dirtbikes and they have a fair riding community living in the area, it just doesnt add up!
SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCE!!!
Unfortunately CARDINIA SHIRE COUNCIL is different! You are not allowed to ride any vehicle registered or unregistered on private property without a permit for RECREATIONAL purposes. The law changed about 5-6years ago. It use to be allowed without a permit if you are on private land minimum 5 acres and ride at least 100m away from any surrounding houses. Think about the measurements you would need like minimum 10 acres. Due to the fact that dirt bike riding arguments were in the top 3 issues of neighbouring disputes in rural areas they have brought in this permit regulation. People move to the country for the peace and quiet while others move to the country to ride bikes and have freedom on some land. Therefore if you ride for recreation without a permit and a complaint is made the owner of the property is issued with a warning and invited to get a permit or the owner of the land will be fined i believe $1200. SOME people ignore this and continue to ride hoping they never receive further consequences. I have been told that there is a loop hole and that they can never actually get fined and is basically scare tactics. I havent heard of anyone that has actually received a fine.
To get a permit you apply to council and are restricted on hours and 2-3 bikes at one time or then it is considered racing. Only costs like $50-100 so its not a revenur issue. Before issuing a permit they send a letter to all properties within at least i think 1km of the property stating your request for application with conditions stated to ride and if you get more than 1 NO you can forget about approval. I have even had council members approach people that have said NO only to be abused.