FAQs

In NSW, disused rail lines are a publicly owned resource that the public should be able to benefit from. They cost the State Government money to keep safe and yet the public can’t use or benefit from them.

Tourism and recreational activities are growing business sectors. Rail Trails unlock the potential for a simple, attractive resource that will attract visitors and that locals can also use. 

For many people, especially from large towns and cities, they can be the most accessible way to experience the countryside without being on a road or having to hike along rough tracks in the bush.

Rail trails have been in operation in the USA for many decades and in Victoria for over 20 years. All states of Australia have many of them and are building more. NZ has identified them as an important part of their national Tourism strategy.

What happens to make a rail trail?

Constructing a rail trail will involve the lifting and removal of the rail line and sleepers. The existing ballast base will be formed up to provide a 2.5 metre wide shared pathway, for cyclists and pedestrians. Initially the track will be finished with a crushed granite surface, noting that the Feasibility Study assumes Section 1 is sealed bitumen. Consideration will be given to bitumen seal in some sections, as and when funds permit.

Rail infrastructure will be preserved as well as bridge and culvert crossings which will be restored wherever possible. Access/exit points will be situated at regular intervals and will provide car parking, toilets, water, shade and shelter for users. The trail will provide a unique recreational facility for pedestrians and cyclists, and where sealed, wheelchair users. Motorised access will be restricted to maintenance and emergency vehicles only.

Locals, grey nomads, families, international tourists, interstate tourists, intrastate tourists, walking clubs, bird watchers, wheelchair users, community groups, recreational cycling clubs, schools, power walking parents with strollers, long distance cycling holiday makers, annual community and charity events, walkers, runners, Cycling Without Age trishaws, e-bikes, geocachers and if the route is suitable, maybe even ParkRun Australia who utilise these in other states.

The highest numbers of users are usually cyclists, especially in the early days of a new rail trail.   

Bike riding is growing in popularity in NSW, with around 3.97 million people on their bikes in a given week. https://www.cwanz.com.au/national-walking-and-cycling-participation-survey-2023/

No. Charging individual users at time of entry on the rail trail is unlikely to be economic. 

Arrangements may be entered into with commercial operators wishing to utilise the trail for profit. 

A rail trail has to strike a balance between attracting users who will spend their money in the local town and raising sufficient income to maintain the rail trail. 

Other possible income sources include advertising and sponsorship signs along the trail, charges to businesses providing for-profit guiding services, bicycle tours, bike hire, etc.

The rail corridor remains in public ownership.

The local economy is stimulated both during building and afterwards, attracting visitors and giving them a reason to extend their stay in the district. The Feasibility Study has identified that the GRT is well positioned to appeal to targeted markets throughout the State, being within a 2.5 hour drive of 5.7 million people (70% of the population of NSW). Based on the 2023 Halliburton Feasibility Study, the project is forecast to attract 41,500 visitors annually (plus 25,000 local users), which will have an initial effect on the regional economy of $58 million (TBC for revising in-line with later figures from other NSW rail trails). The GRT will also create new business opportunities, provide health benefits for users, preserve, and promote items of local heritage significance and create opportunities for environmental education.

Entire construction costs for trails are rarely born by local government, therefore there is minimal impact on ratepayers (even though ratepayers benefit directly from trails and indirectly by visitor spending).

Many Federal and State Government funding programs are already available for tourism/recreation projects such as trails. Numerous trails around Australia have been funded by major grants worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.  

For example, the Adelaide Hills Rail Trail (South Australia) received State Government funding of $1 million for development of Stage 1. Further funding is expected for future stages. 

The Port Fairy-Warrnambool Rail Trail (in Victoria) has received close to $2 million in State and Federal Government funding. 

The Brisbane Valley Rail Trail (Qld) has received $3.8 million in State Government funding.

Until recently there had been no Rail Trails on NSW Government owned rail corridors. The State Government has now funded two pilot projects. The Tumbarumba-Rosewood project has been completed and has proved a great success, while the Northern Rivers Rail Trail is a larger staged project underway, and is also enjoying better than expected results. The links to both of these projects are included in the section above. 

Major companies, such as mining companies, have contributed to trail projects. For example, BHP Billiton contributed $200,000 towards the Camperdown-Timboon Rail Trail in Victoria.

Local community volunteers and local sponsorships may also be available. 

Other low cost resources, including Federal Youth employment and training schemes and in some cases, low risk prison crews have been brought into trail construction and maintenance projects. 

Preparation of a regularly reviewed Trail Management Plan covering all maintenance issues (including fencing) prepared in advance of construction is critical. This plan will provide a clear definition of who is responsible for what.

Proper design and construction of the rail trail at the outset will minimise ongoing maintenance costs.

Focus of maintenance is erosion, vegetation regrowth, weed control, signage and structures.

Needs a clear definition of who is responsible for what.

Division of maintenance into regular inspections and simple repairs and once/twice yearly programs undertaking larger jobs such as signage repairs, culvert cleaning or vegetation control.

Hazard inspection program (to limit liability and to define maintenance activities).

The State Government could engage the Local Government to undertake or oversee maintenance.

Volunteers and community groups have undertaken portions of maintenance on some interstate rail trails.

The NSW Govt currently pays an engineering company to keep disused lines safe. Negotiations can be undertaken to ensure the pro-rata maintenance funding remains with the Rail Trail.

Any change is difficult and causes stress for many people, especially where it is a change to the way people have operated their businesses and lifestyles for many years. The main issues raised by affected property owners are identified in the Biosecurity and Risk Management Plan (see link above) together with the proposed mitigation actions. At this point, these actions are general and generic, however when we get to the stage where the Trail Development Plan stage is being developed, all affected property owners will be engaged on a one-by-one basis to address individual and specific issues. 

One further way to address the concerns of landholders is a progressive staging of the project so that landholders and the responsible committee can see how sections work, what problems and issues arise and then react accordingly in subsequent stages. (These concerns may be felt differently by different people in different parts of the corridor).

The experience in rail-trail projects elsewhere is that the problems adjoining landholders believe will occur, do not occur. Concerns are managed primarily by ongoing consultation and good design.