Ride Dungog hosted their trails forum to get community feedback on the future of trails in the common

The forum was held on Tuesday, May 31 and attracted more than 50 attendants from across the Dungog Shire to discuss how their trails can be developed and improved.

President of Ride Dungog, Chloe Chick, is excited for the next steps.

"The forum was effectively a recreational trails planning forum. The next step is the Ride Dungog Trails team is collating all that information and data they've received, request quotes from trail planning companies and a trails concept masterplan," Ms Chick said.

To assist in the planning of trails in Dungog, TRC Tourism representative Chris Ord walked the forum through how to trail rides.

Mr Ord outlined the inherent advantage that Barrington Tops gives Dungog, but also the necessity to plan when developing trails to ensure that they are sustainable and manageable in the long term.

Also in attendance was Dungog's Mayor John Connors who emphasised the need for planning, not just ideas.

Ride Dungog aim to create a concept masterplan for what the development of these trails will look like, according to Ms Chick.

After these plans have been developed, community feedback will be sought again. A proposal has been put to council for a pilot trail in Abbotts Flat. This will be voted on in the next council meeting on Wednesday, June 15.

For more information on Ride Dungog's Trail Forum go to ridedungog.org/forum.