Asbestos in Illawarra bike park to go - as argument over source continues

As alarm spreads throughout Sydney and beyond about the presence of asbestos in public parks, Wollongong's most prominent contamination site is one major step closer to being made safe.

The park has been closed and fenced off since May 3, 2023, when asbestos was found on a portion of the land owned by National Parks and Wildlife.

Before long the council, which owns the bulk of the site, said testing had revealed asbestos material "all across" the area.

On Tuesday the council said excavation would begin this month to remove the contaminated soil and work towards building a new track.

The council was clear that the asbestos was contained in the soil imported to the site when the jumps and berms were being built.

"This hasn't been an easy site to work with as the parameters we're working within kept changing with each new find,'' council general manager Greg Doyle said.

"The fragments that were within the imported soil weren't restricted to one location on the site, and each discovery of additional pieces of asbestos would necessitate we review rather than simply finalise the site's remediation plan."

But while the council said it had been "working closely with" the Helensburgh Off-Road Cycle Club which runs the park, the parties don't agree on how the contamination was caused.

Club president Wayne Teal maintains it's a mystery how the asbestos got there - and insisted it could have been placed there "maliciously" by people opposed to the track.

He said the imported material they used had been tested and certified clear before it was used.

"They're saying certification wasn't up to their standards yet it was passed by their professional people," he said.

"But that's neither here nor there ... what's done is done.

"We have to accept the umpire's decision. We have to work with the council to try and get the track back up to being attracted as quickly as possible.

"To almost see the light at the end of the tunnel ... is positive for us, it means that we can get back on with rebuilding, getting, getting, getting a track back up there and not only for the bike riders but for the walkers, people and their dogs."

The council said the work would be monitored by independent hygienists and the adjoining football fields would remain open throughout.

The work is expected to take about a month to complete, providing the weather is good. Tuesday didn't go well on this front with heavy rain hitting the area from early afternoon.