Rail Trails
Rail trails are paths laid along the right of ways of disused railways, or sometimes alongside operational railways.
This category includes any activity related to the design, facilitation and building of rail trails, both sealed and unsealed, understanding that rail trails in urban areas can also have significant micromobility transportation roles.
Capturing the Compelling Case for Rail Trails
Virtually every Australian rail trail proves to be a huge boon to its local economy when it’s opened. Yet virtually every proposed new trail, especially in NSW, take years of pitch battles fought by heroic volunteers in order to overcome the same ill-informed and negative arguments that are thrown up against them.
We recently became aware of a particularly eloquent letter that was written by a local resident nine months after a landmark rail trail in NSW was finally opened last year.
Northern Rivers Rail Trail Passes Important Milestone
Murwillumbah / NSW New South Wales state government funding has allowed preliminary work and a tender process for the Northern Rivers Rail Trail to begin. Vegetation clearing along the Murwillumbah to Crabbes Creek rail corridor started earlier this month to give construction companies access to the trail site to prepare design and costings for the…
Murray to Mountains Rail Trail Extension Underway
One of Australia’s longest and most heavily used rail trails is being extended by a further 30 kilometres. The first new stretch will link tourist towns Beechworth and Yackandandah at a cost of $5.2 million. It will be open by Autumn 2021 and stretch 25 kilometres. A further five kilometres from Yackandandah to Osborne’s Flat…
Funding Announced for Long Awaited Tasmanian Rail Trail Expansion
The North East Recreational Trail has the potential to become a world class recreational cycling route from central Launceston to Scottsdale, a distance of over 60 kilometres. So far 26 kilometres has been opened from Scottsdale to Tulundeena. This happened in two stages respectively opened in 2012 and 2015 largely thanks to volunteer work by…
$9.5 Million State Government Matching Funding Announced for Bundaberg to Gin Gin Rail Trail
On Wednesday 19th August the Queensland state government announced $9.5 million in funding to match local council funding to build the first two stages of the Bundaberg to Gin Gin Rail Trail. Minister for Transport and Main Roads Mark Bailey said that the project would create 229 jobs. “For every dollar we invest in bike-riding,…
Huge Ridership and Business Generated by Newly Opened Rail Trail
Victoria has long led Australia in terms of the construction and ridership of rail trails. The state now boasts and extensive network, of which three of the best known and most heavily used include the Murray to Mountains, Lilydale to Warburton and Bellarine rail trails. But despite this economic success from their traditional rival, for…
Landmark NSW Rail Trail Opening Soon
A rail trail is created when abandoned rail corridors are converted into shared-use paths for walking, bike riding and sometimes horse riding. Rail trails are a proven generator of business for the bicycle industry with some popular Australian rail trails recording counts of 3,000 cyclists on long weekends. NSW currently has only 11 rail trails…