Railtrails Australia has been monitoring the possibility of a rail trail along at least part of the historic Brisbane River Valley railway. In 1998 we reported the destruction of several low level heavy timber bridges on the northern section and last year discovered the Shire of Esk had an intense interest in opening the 7 km section between Fernvale to Lowood, 39km south of Esk and near the vast Wivenhoe Reservoir.
RA President Michael Oxer has made several exploratory visits along the line and provided information to Council representatives to assist their efforts. This August he met with Councillor June Bray and CEO Warren Oxnam to discuss developments. Following that meeting he made representations to the offices of two Queensland Government Ministers and secured a meeting with Mr Ross MacLeod, Senior Policy Advisor in the Office of the Minister for Environment.
Michael reports that in establishing meetings with government officials he found a copy of the RA Railtrails of Victoria guidebook served as a quick and graphical way of introducing the matters he wanted to discuss and helped gain interest and support.
The Esk Shire needs assistance with ‘on the ground’ coordination of a number of elements involved in the project. A number of government authorities need to be actively involved and focussing that effort is now critical. Local support is reported to be growing and several difficulties along the Fernvale to Lowood section involving old timber trestle bridges have been resolved with neighbouring landowners. A growing number of local folk are using parts of the line for walking but until rails and sleepers are lifted and the track surface prepared bicycle riding is not an option.
We are hoping that through the good offices and support of the Minister for Environment, Honorable Dean Wells, this potentially fine rail trail will soon become a reality, bring local tourism benefits and provide a new use for a very old route between two fascinating Queensland country towns alongside the Brisbane River.
Come along to Ciderfest 2024 in Batlow on 18 May 2024, and register your support for the Batlow rail trail at their stan...
The Château Tanunda Barossa Marathon is to be held on Sunday 26 May 24, starting and finishing in Tanunda. The event at...
We are calling on all rail trail supporters to express their support for the development of a new rail trail in NSW to a...
Some exciting news from Western Australia! Earlier this week, the WA government committed $17.5 million to completing th...
Castlemaine Maryborough Rail Trail Inc (CMRT) recently received very welcome news and financial support to allow them th...
The e-bike is a great way to get more people and families using the rail trails in Australia! Bicycle Network believes e...
This week, we received the tragic news that the Mullumbimby railway station on the old Northern Rivers Railway was destr...
If you would like to be able to wheel your bike onto new NSW country trains to get to rail trails please contact the NSW...
The Feasibility Study for the Boorowa to Galong Rail Trail (BGRT) in south west NSW was completed in November 2022. The ...
The iconic Northern Rivers Rail Trail keeps rolling on! On the occasion of the opening of the Casino to Bentley stag...
As part of its ongoing advocacy work and community engagement, the Castlemaine Maryborough Rail Trail Inc. Group recentl...
The Adelaide to Port Dock railway line was constructed in 1856 to service the passenger and freight movement between the...
Early bird registrations are open until April 12 for Lake High – ‘Walk for Autism’ on April 26, 2024 for teams of ...
The official opening of the Casino to Bentley stage of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail was held at the Old Casino Station...
While most of the work extending the Great Southern Rail Trail from Welshpool to Alberton had been completed by the end ...
The long-awaited New England Rail Trail (NERT) stage 1 from Glen Innes to Ben Lomond in northern NSW is now a very big s...
Stay up to date with the latest news about Rail Trails with our free email news.
Register for news updatesCome along to Ciderfest 2024 in Batlow on 18 May 2024, and register your support for the Batlow rail trail at their stan...
The Château Tanunda Barossa Marathon is to be held on Sunday 26 May 24, starting and finishing in Tanunda. The event at...
We are calling on all rail trail supporters to express their support for the development of a new rail trail in NSW to a...
Some exciting news from Western Australia! Earlier this week, the WA government committed $17.5 million to completing th...
Castlemaine Maryborough Rail Trail Inc (CMRT) recently received very welcome news and financial support to allow them th...
The e-bike is a great way to get more people and families using the rail trails in Australia! Bicycle Network believes e...
This week, we received the tragic news that the Mullumbimby railway station on the old Northern Rivers Railway was destr...
If you would like to be able to wheel your bike onto new NSW country trains to get to rail trails please contact the NSW...
The Feasibility Study for the Boorowa to Galong Rail Trail (BGRT) in south west NSW was completed in November 2022. The ...
The iconic Northern Rivers Rail Trail keeps rolling on! On the occasion of the opening of the Casino to Bentley stag...
As part of its ongoing advocacy work and community engagement, the Castlemaine Maryborough Rail Trail Inc. Group recentl...
The Adelaide to Port Dock railway line was constructed in 1856 to service the passenger and freight movement between the...
Early bird registrations are open until April 12 for Lake High – ‘Walk for Autism’ on April 26, 2024 for teams of ...
The official opening of the Casino to Bentley stage of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail was held at the Old Casino Station...
While most of the work extending the Great Southern Rail Trail from Welshpool to Alberton had been completed by the end ...
The long-awaited New England Rail Trail (NERT) stage 1 from Glen Innes to Ben Lomond in northern NSW is now a very big s...