Here’s the latest on new Railtrail plans.

[elantra]

First the Good news !

Another 16 km of the Northern Rivers Railtrail will officially open in about 2 weeks time - Dec 14.

This completes the Railtrail link between the cities of Casino and Lismore in Northern NSW.
It’s about 30 km of outstanding quality (mostly gravel) Railtrail between the 2 regional cities.
Mostly through pleasant semi-forested and pastoral landscapes with some slight elevations giving some great views.

https://timesnewsgroup.com.au/byroncoas ... trailhead.

And furthermore the Lismore Council is committed to extending the Railtrail another 21 km east from Lismore to the Byron Bay Shire Council boundary at Booyong.
Potentially the Byron Bay Shire can seek funding to extend the Railtrail from this point to link up with the Murwillumbah part of the Northern Rivers Railtrail which has been a popular attraction since it opened early 2023.

You could argue that Byron Bay Shire Council should have been onto this years ago but that is another story which we won’t delve into.

It’s worth pointing out that this section of Railtrail (Casino to Lismore) is likely going to be accessible to Brisbane and Sydney residents using the current interstate rail service between Brisbane and Sydney.
A northbound train leaves Sydney at 7am-ish and gets to Casino at 6.30pm-ish.
A southbound train leaves Brisbane at 6am and gets to Casino at approximately 8.20am.
As far as I know passengers on these train services can take bicycles with them on the train

[elantra]

Now for the bad news :

Only about a hundred miles south-west of Casino (as the crow flies) is the city of Glen Innes, which is the administrative centre of the Glen Innes Shire Council.

As you will probably recall, a large area of sparsely populated land east of Glen Innes was catastrophically impacted by bushfires in the drought of 2019.
Subsequently Glen Innes Shire Council was promised approx 9 million dollars in funding from the Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund (BLERF) to put towards the construction of a Railtrail.
Which suddenly and precipitously this funding has been withdrawn today
https://www.gisc.nsw.gov.au/News-Media/ ... -COMMUNITY

This Railtrail again was going to be a “joint effort” with Armidale Regional Council and (hopefully) Tenterfield Regional Council and could potentially be one of Australia’s longest and greatest Railtrails extending from Armidale to Tenterfield and the Queensland border near Stanthorpe.

This hypothetical Railtrail can be constructed on the long-disused Rail corridor that used to exist between Armidale in NSW and Stanthorpe in Qld.
This Railway line was constructed originally in the 1880’s and was superseded by the current interstate line between Sydney and Brisbane which opened in 1930.
The line between Armidale and Wallangarra (Qld border) was closed more than 30 years ago.

Hopefully the momentum for this potentially world-class Railtrail will not be negated

[g-boaf]

That's brutal but not unexpected.

Usually requires a very strong representation to Ministerial level and then the MO issues a please explain to the Department execs who then reverse their decision.

[zebee]

A northbound train leaves Sydney at 7am-ish and gets to Casino at 6.30pm-ish.
A southbound train leaves Brisbane at 6am and gets to Casino at approximately 8.20am.
As far as I know passengers on these train services can take bicycles with them on the train

The bikes have to be boxed though. Meaning you would need somewhere to store the box.

There are noises being made about changing this but very quiet noises.

https://transportnsw.info/travel-info/u ... es-content

Push Bicycles:
Bicycles must be contained in a cardboard bicycle box or commercially produced protective bag to protect the bicycle during transport.
Bicycle boxes can be obtained from bicycle retailers or provided upon request.
When packing the bicycle, ensure that no part of it protrudes.
Boxes must not be torn or damaged to ensure the safe transportation of the bicycle.
Maximum dimensions when packed: 135cm long x 80cm high x 24cm wide.
A supplementary charge of $12.10 applies for push bicycles.
Folding Bicycles:
Folding bicycles must be packed in a commercially produced protective cover bag.
Maximum dimensions when folded: 79cm long x 59cm high x 36cm wide.
No additional charges apply for carrying folding bicycles.

Zebee

[elantra]

As you will probably recall, a large area of sparsely populated land east of Glen Innes was catastrophically impacted by bushfires in the drought of 2019.
Subsequently Glen Innes Shire Council was promised approx 9 million dollars in funding from the Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund (BLERF) to put towards the construction of a Railtrail.
Which suddenly and precipitously this funding has been withdrawn today
https://www.gisc.nsw.gov.au/News-Media/ ... -COMMUNITY

This Railtrail again was going to be a “joint effort” with Armidale Regional Council and (hopefully) Tenterfield Regional Council and could potentially be one of Australia’s longest and greatest Railtrails extending from Armidale to Tenterfield and the Queensland border near Stanthorpe.

This hypothetical Railtrail can be constructed on the long-disused Rail corridor that used to exist between Armidale in NSW and Stanthorpe in Qld.
This Railway line was constructed originally in the 1880’s and was superseded by the current interstate line between Sydney and Brisbane which opened in 1930.
The line between Armidale and Wallangarra (Qld border) was closed more than 30 years ago.

Hopefully the momentum for this potentially world-class Railtrail will not be negated

Unfortunately as the day progresses the news gets even worse….

In a totally bizarre hit-job, the Armidale Regional Council has ALSO just had its 5.4 million dollar Railtrail grant suddenly rescinded.

https://www.armidaleregional.nsw.gov.au ... government

This is a double blow to the chances that we will see some functional use being made of the old Railway corridor anytime soon.
To say that there is exasperation within the Local Governments in Armidale and Glen Innes would be putting it mildly.

The Railtrail plan has, of course been contentious and there has been a vocal anti-Railtrail publicity ever since the project was first contemplated in the early days after the 2019 fires.

But today’s Armidale Express editorial puts it bluntly :

“While many will be buoyed by this funding withdrawal, I would view it as a false equivalency - the death of the Trail is not the saviour of the Rail.
The existing rail tracks will remain, but without any funding the aging and dilapidated line will rust and rot further.
This will only serve to increase the cost should either the State or Federal Governments decide to revisit the line’s use.
The State Government has already indicated a firm disinterest in coughing up hundreds of millions of dollars. I don’t see that view changing as the corridor deteriorates further.

This is a lose-lose scenario. “

Editor, Armidale Express, 25 November 2024

[g-boaf]

Cycling isn't popular in Australia so it doesn't surprise me at all to see these "hit jobs".

Good on the councils for making a big noise about it.

[brumby33]

Jeez that's a real shame, kind of reminds me of episodes of "Yes Minister" where hapless Government departments couldn't run a chook raffle.
I hope the appeal by the Glen Innes Council is won and the grants reinstated.

I love Glen Innes as a town, a sleep kind of town, still have relatives up there but pretty much in their final years. I spent a lot of my childhood in GI with my Cousins around similar ages in the early to mid 70's, every January we'd drive up to Glen Innes and spend 2 weeks on their farm, as kids, riding horses everyday, we never wanted to go home. Cousin John and myself used to ride bikes from the farm, into town, I remember they had a velodrome there too and the bike i rode was a track bike fixie with no brakes. My Cousin John also wrote and recorded a song for the Annual Grafton to Inverell Bicycle race back in the 70's or 80's. He used to play Bass in his Father's band.

So yeah, Have a huge soft spot for the town and I hope they can get the Grant back and get this rail trail happening.

brumby33

[ldrcycles]

You could never accuse the anti trail activists of a shortage of passion. A shortage of intellect and attachment to reality on the other hand...

No amount of evidence as to the success of rail trails or the immense cost of effectively rebuilding the line from scratch for trains will stick, anything that isn't supportive of what they want is labelled "fake news" and viciously attacked. The only two outcomes for this line are a rail trail, or nothing. No train will ever go through Tenterfield again.

In more positive rail trail news, work is underway on more sections of the Boyne Burnett trail here in Queensland, the next section of 39kms from the tiny village of Abercorn to the siding of Grosvenor through the small town of Eidsvold should open next year.
The next stretch south to Mundubbera is complicated somewhat by a citrus farmer having illegally planted several thousand fruit trees on the corridor where it bisects his property. Reportedly attempts to reach a compromise were rejected out of hand, so the most likely outcome is Transport and Main Roads sending a bulldozer through to clear their land, and handing a bill to the "squatter".

[elantra]

Jeez that's a real shame, kind of reminds me of episodes of "Yes Minister" where hapless Government departments couldn't run a chook raffle.
I hope the appeal by the Glen Innes Council is won and the grants reinstated.

I love Glen Innes as a town, a sleep kind of town, still have relatives up there but pretty much in their final years. I spent a lot of my childhood in GI with my Cousins around similar ages in the early to mid 70's, every January we'd drive up to Glen Innes and spend 2 weeks on their farm, as kids, riding horses everyday, we never wanted to go home. Cousin John and myself used to ride bikes from the farm, into town, I remember they had a velodrome there too and the bike i rode was a track bike fixie with no brakes. My Cousin John also wrote and recorded a song for the Annual Grafton to Inverell Bicycle race back in the 70's or 80's. He used to play Bass in his Father's band.

So yeah, Have a huge soft spot for the town and I hope they can get the Grant back and get this rail trail happening.

brumby33

Yes I too have a bit of an affection for Glen Innes.
And Tenterfield also.

These are towns in the “neglected north” of NSW.
They are not places that get an overload of publicity (and tourists) like many of the towns on the coast to their east, Byron Bay, Brunswick Heads, Yamba, Pottsville etc.

Back when I was a kid growing up once or twice a year there would be an overnight family drive from Bris to Sydney to visit Grandma at Chatswood.
Of course the Falcon wagon would need a refuel in Glen Innes and on a winters night it would be freezing walk for us kids to the dunny behind the petrol station
Ah the memories are good.
You don’t get that with air travel !

Tenterfield is the next significant town north of Glen Innes and here you are so close to the Queensland border that the locals have done a pretty decent job of tapping into the Brisbanites (and Gold Coasters) who desperately need to escape the rat race for a few days holiday.

Early next year there is a weekend cycling festival in Tenterfield.
https://thesaddlersmtbclub.com.au/gravel-n-granite
This event is quite new on the gravel calendar and is well attended by visitors from Queensland, as well as from other regional NSW cities, especially Armidale, Ballina, Tamworth and Coffs Harbour etc.

Just goes to show how big is the potential market for a decent Railtrail in this area.
And a significant irony is that the poorly patronised existing Railway service from Sydney to Armidale would actually likely get a boost from Cyclists using this form of Public Transport to get to this part of NSW

[brumby33]

Jeez that's a real shame, kind of reminds me of episodes of "Yes Minister" where hapless Government departments couldn't run a chook raffle.
I hope the appeal by the Glen Innes Council is won and the grants reinstated.

I love Glen Innes as a town, a sleep kind of town, still have relatives up there but pretty much in their final years. I spent a lot of my childhood in GI with my Cousins around similar ages in the early to mid 70's, every January we'd drive up to Glen Innes and spend 2 weeks on their farm, as kids, riding horses everyday, we never wanted to go home. Cousin John and myself used to ride bikes from the farm, into town, I remember they had a velodrome there too and the bike i rode was a track bike fixie with no brakes. My Cousin John also wrote and recorded a song for the Annual Grafton to Inverell Bicycle race back in the 70's or 80's. He used to play Bass in his Father's band.

So yeah, Have a huge soft spot for the town and I hope they can get the Grant back and get this rail trail happening.

brumby33

Yes I too have a bit of an affection for Glen Innes.
And Tenterfield also.

These are towns in the “neglected north” of NSW.
They are not places that get an overload of publicity (and tourists) like many of the towns on the coast to their east, Byron Bay, Brunswick Heads, Yamba, Pottsville etc.

Back when I was a kid growing up once or twice a year there would be an overnight family drive from Bris to Sydney to visit Grandma at Chatswood.
Of course the Falcon wagon would need a refuel in Glen Innes and on a winters night it would be freezing walk for us kids to the dunny behind the petrol station
Ah the memories are good.
You don’t get that with air travel !

Tenterfield is the next significant town north of Glen Innes and here you are so close to the Queensland border that the locals have done a pretty decent job of tapping into the Brisbanites (and Gold Coasters) who desperately need to escape the rat race for a few days holiday.

Early next year there is a weekend cycling festival in Tenterfield.
https://thesaddlersmtbclub.com.au/gravel-n-granite
This event is quite new on the gravel calendar and is well attended by visitors from Queensland, as well as from other regional NSW cities, especially Armidale, Ballina, Tamworth and Coffs Harbour etc.

Just goes to show how big is the potential market for a decent Railtrail in this area.
And a significant irony is that the poorly patronised existing Railway service from Sydney to Armidale would actually likely get a boost from Cyclists using this form of Public Transport to get to this part of NSW

I wish I was 45 years Younger, I'd have a go at those rides......but I think now they'd have to send out a search party for a lost Brumby

About the end of 2012, I had recently bought my first Suzuki V-Strom 650 and had a Gathering at a place called Bingara not far from the Copeton dam near Inverell which was good as my Sister lives in Inverell so I was able to get up there a few days earlier to rest before the big weekend at Bingara. This was a Gathering formed by the Australian contingent of the Stromtrooper Forum site based in America but is spread worldwide with an European chapter as well. (it gets confused a bit from Stormtroopers) lol.

After the Bingara Weekend I headed back to Glen Innes, visit my Aunty on the farm we visited as kids and she filled me up with a tray of scones, jam & cream , then up to Ballandean where I was staying a friend' place, a huge BBQ was happening that next few days. If you've ever seen one of those big American BBQ smokers in action, he had one on a trailer there and he knows how to use it. It's was a nice ride up over the border through the Granite belt and my next desto was a little place at the foot of the Glass house Mtns called Peachester, stayed with a mate of mine for the night then went up to Maleny to stay with another mate for a couple of days. Up to Noosa to stay with yet another friend and then down to Grafton to stay with my Parents for a week. Back down to Newcastle where I lived at the time.

As Much as I love Bicycles, the magic of covering a great deal of Kms in places on an Adv motorcycle is also great fun. I need another road trip but i've gotta get some camping gear together first as I'll be camping off the bike a fair bit......gotta do this before I get too old and decrepit to even ride a Motorcycle let alone a bicycle. I'll use Motorcycle camping as a vehicle to set myself up for either mode, just get a smaller tent for the bicycle while sleeping gear can be used for both.

Cheers

brumby33

[foo on patrol]

The shere stupity of people thinking that the rail corridors are a part of "their" land is nothing more than ludicrous at best!

The pluses far out weigh any negatives too these schems, just ask the small businesses along the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail.

Foo

[lavalet]

First the Good news !

Another 16 km of the Northern Rivers Railtrail will officially open in about 2 weeks time - Dec 14.

This completes the Railtrail link between the cities of Casino and Lismore in Northern NSW.
It’s about 30 km of outstanding quality (mostly gravel) Railtrail between the 2 regional cities.
Mostly through pleasant semi-forested and pastoral landscapes with some slight elevations giving some great views.

https://timesnewsgroup.com.au/byroncoas ... trailhead.

And furthermore the Lismore Council is committed to extending the Railtrail another 21 km east from Lismore to the Byron Bay Shire Council boundary at Booyong.
Potentially the Byron Bay Shire can seek funding to extend the Railtrail from this point to link up with the Murwillumbah part of the Northern Rivers Railtrail which has been a popular attraction since it opened early 2023.

You could argue that Byron Bay Shire Council should have been onto this years ago but that is another story which we won’t delve into.

It’s worth pointing out that this section of Railtrail (Casino to Lismore) is likely going to be accessible to Brisbane and Sydney residents using the current interstate rail service between Brisbane and Sydney.
A northbound train leaves Sydney at 7am-ish and gets to Casino at 6.30pm-ish.
A southbound train leaves Brisbane at 6am and gets to Casino at approximately 8.20am.
As far as I know passengers on these train services can take bicycles with them on the train

I like that the bike can be brought along for the ride.

[elantra]

It’s official - the Opening Ceremony for the Lismore to Bentley section of the Northern Rivers Railtrail is in a few days time - this Saturday !

Speeches and Ribbon Cutting will be between 9am and 10 am it seems.
Other supporting events will coincide I think - both at the Lismore end and the Bentley end of the newly constructed 16 km section.

At the western (Bentley) end of this completed section there is only a main road to cross and you can continue on to Cassino via the 14 km section of Railtrail that was opened earlier this year.

The weather forecast for Saturday is “favourable”
- rather hot but with absence of rain.
The new part of the trail passes through undulating farmlands with views to the surrounding hills.
There are many historically significant bridges which are now accessible and given preservation status.

https://www.lismore.nsw.gov.au/Council/ ... er%202024.

[baabaa]

Is gonna be hot today in eastern aust, so a cool vid in a cool/ cold climate on what could be done on plenty of our old now and not used railway lines before they are all turned into railtrails..

[elantra]

Is gonna be hot today in eastern aust, so a cool vid in a cool/ cold climate on what could be done on plenty of our old now and not used railway lines before they are all turned into railtrails..

Thanks for sharing that video, the weather in most of Australia is polar opposites to the weather in most of Canada - most of the time !

Up here in Northern NSW / Southern Qld, the old Railway infrastructure has been disused for decades. The train from Glen Innes to Tenterfield stopped running in 1988 and the train from Lismore to Byron Bay stopped running in 2003.
So there are Rails missing, Bridges missing, and where the rails and bridges are still there you find trees growing up between the Rails - some of the trees are quite big now !

I was at the Lismore to Bentley Official Opening yesterday.
It was such a wonderful environment and there were hundreds - perhaps even thousands of people at the Opening Ceremony or out on the Railtrail between Lismore and Cassino at various stages of the day.
It’s about 30 km from Lismore to Cassino on the Railtrail. The historic and iconic Bentley Bridge is at the 16 km marker, right at the junction between Lismore City Council and Richmond Shire.
There were many walkers, runners as well and also quite a few people on horses.
All of this festivity and invigoration despite a hot and humid day - fortunately not quite as hot as what was predicted, thankfully.
Huge credit to all the private individuals, Council Officers and workers, and Private Contractors involved in its fruition and construction.
And the friendly locals who gave us greetings and hospitality yesterday