An Adjunct Associate Professor with the School of Agricultural, Environmental and Veterinary Sciences at Charles Sturt University in Orange, the Nashdale resident has slammed the proposed mountain bike project for Mount Canobolas.

He says Orange City Council is "imposing itself on the people of Cabonne" by pushing the development.

He said a large portion of the Cabonne community lives in the shire but commutes into Orange for work, and ensuring there was better public transport into Orange and between Cabonne villages is important.

"Orange has a problem with affordable hosing, but if people are working in Orange let's have them live in Cudal, Cargo, Molong, Canowindra and commute to where they work. We have to make our villages attractive," he said.