Mr Donato said he had been a strong supporter of OCC's $25 million sports stadium project and he was also keen for the controversial mountain bike plan, which proposes to put around 100km of trails on the Mountain, to go ahead.

"I believe it's a project that will provide significant economic returns to our community in terms or promoting jobs and investment and tourism and all those things," Mr Donato said.

"I believe there can be a balance found, the right balance found ... in taking into account the environment and the historical and cultural aspects of Mount Canobolas but also ensuring that we have a facility up there that can draw upon tourism, not only in NSW but across Australia and perhaps internationally."

The proposal reached a milestone in January when Orange City Council lodged an application for it to be considered a State Significant Development with the NSW government's Department of Industry, Planning and Environment.

As part of the process the DPIE will consider a Preliminary Environmental Impact Assessment compiled by the environmental consultants, The Environmental Factor.

The proposed mountain bike park has drawn criticism from the Gannha-bula Action Group, with Wiradjuri elders opposed to the 70km of track which is inside the mountains State Conservation Area.

The Canobolas Conservation Alliance, a community group of scientists, bushwalkers, environmentalists and concerned individuals, also say the project would "inflict irreversible damage" on ecological as well as heritage values.

However Mr Donato told Tuesday's meeting he believed a balance could be found.

"It's a project I'd like to see advance in the next couple of years," he said.

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