It was a section of the Harcourt Mountain Bike Park that Damian Wells had ridden through many times before. But last Tuesday, something went very wrong.
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"It was a pretty innocuous part of the park," Mr Wells said. "I came into a certain section, which I have done many times before, and I just clipped a handlebar on a tree beside the track.
"I was going at a reasonable speed at this point and that was enough to take me down into a bit of a ditch. The handlebars landed on my head and the neck injury was the result."
Mr Wells said he knew straight away that "something wasn't right".
"I knew in my heart of hearts that something had clicked," he said. "I just instinctively knew at that moment of impact that something had happened that I hadn't done before.'
"I did try to move and I couldn't support the weight of my head. I had to hold my own head in my hands, which is what I did. But ultimately I just nestled into a spot on the side of the track."
Mr Wells' friends, who had been riding with him, called an ambulance. Paramedics stretchered him out of the forest with the assistance of his mates.
"The paramedics were fantastic," Mr Wells said. "They took a little bit of time because of the location and it was only eight degrees in the forest that day.
"But I was very, very fortunate to have such amazing paramedics - Jack and Andrew.
"I feel indebted to them for the care they gave me in the forest and the way they cared for my neck to make sure it wasn't damaged further."
Mr Wells was taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital where scans confirmed he broke his C2 vertebrae in his neck. He said he was lucky to avoid any damage to his spinal cord.
"I'm so grateful for so many things - my friends who helped me and the paramedics who were fantastic and cared for me so well," Mr Wells said.
"I have also had fantastic family and friend support across this past week. It has just been overwhelming and incredible."
After having a "painful and difficult" first night in hospital, Mr Wells had surgery last Wednesday to install a halo device to stabilise his neck.
He will wear it for up to 12 weeks, with the hope his fractured C2 vertebrae will fuse itself together. There will also be a lengthy rehabilitation process.
"It's obviously highly restrictive," he said. "I've had nausea from having the screws drilled into my skull and general discomfort. But in the grand scheme of things, I'm absolutely counting my lucky stars."
Mr Wells, who had been an executive director at the Environment Protection Authority for the past four years, was due to start a new position as Coliban Water managing director this week.
A Coliban Water spokesperson said Mr Wells will be on leave until he has recovered from the accident.
"The Board and entire team at Coliban Water wish Damian all the best for a full and speedy recovery," the spokesperson said.
Mr Wells said the support from his new employer had been immense.
"Lucy Roffey, chair of the Coliban Water board, has been fantastic and very supportive as has everybody," he said. "My first official day was meant to be Monday and I'll be doing bits and pieces over the phone.
"They've got Neville Pearce who has been acting managing director for at least six months. He will continue to hold the reins in the short-term until I'm back up on my feet. That's been fantastic for Neville to continue to do that.
"It is very disappointing in the sense of the timing but I've really got to just do the work and get myself right.
"If anything, it makes me hungrier to hit the ground running and really get cracking on for Coliban and the community."
The Bendigo community has gathered behind his recovery, Mr Wells said.
"It's been absolutely incredible," he said. "The support that I have had primarily from family and friends but from the broader circles that I associate in - from work colleagues, to people I know in the community, sporting associations, and other people that I have been involved with over the years.
"I've just felt incredibly well supported and it really does give you a big pep up to get those really positive notes that people are thinking about you.
"The support has been incredible and it really does get you through because you do have those dark moments here and there.
"Of course, there's also all kinds of different banter that comes through like tightening loose screws in your head and giving up your bike and all of those sort of things."
Despite the accident happening on a mountain bike, Mr Wells said the injury wouldn't keep him from the sport for long.
"One of the key things is that cycling has brought me incredible joy over the years," he said. "It has played a huge role in my life and I certainly wouldn't discourage anyone from keeping going with their cycling and getting kids on bikes. It's great for kids health.
"The Harcourt facility is fantastic and it's just a credit to the state government and also the land managers to have that wonderful 34 kilometres of trails at Harcourt for local mountain bikers.
"I think it is absolutely a fantastic place, a fantastic facility, and you really have to put this down to it being a bit of bad luck.
"But it is a place that has given me a lot of joy and it will continue to give others a lot of joy over the years to come."
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Tara Cosoleto
Journalist covering courts and general news at the Bendigo Advertiser.
Journalist covering courts and general news at the Bendigo Advertiser.
