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 the Rotary Club of Scottsdale.
The next section has been delayed due to a challenge for access by a heritage rail group.
But on Wednesday 2nd September the federal member for Bass, Bridget Archer made a joint announcement with Deputy Prime Ministers Michael McCormack via her Facebook page that $1.47 million of federal funding had been secured for the rail trail.
Bicycle Network’s Tasmanian Public Affairs Manager, Alison Hetherington, said it was great to see the Australian Government listening to the community and acknowledging the health, social and economic benefits of the trail extenson.
“Longer shared trails can provide tourism benefits to regional towns and have been very successful where they’ve been created in Victoria and New Zealand,” Ms Hetherington said.
“But they also create opportunities for residents to use the trail to get around their local area and exercise.
Most of this article was first published by Bicycle Network