Rail Trail Conference a Great Success
The 2024 Rail Trail Conference brought together 110 delegates (RTA’s biggest conference yet!) in Melbourne to learn more about ‘Attracting more rail trail users – providing better experiences and facilities’.
The packed first day featured presentations from people including Christina Harris, Ride High Country and Tiffany Stodart, Northern Rivers Rail Trail, who had delegates jotting down important takeaways for their own trails, including Christina’s: “‘Build it and they will come’ needs to be changed to ‘promote it and they will come’.”
Two panel discussions went in depth, discussing increasing rail trail usage and the often challenging role of volunteers in friends’ groups and committees of management. Bicycle Network CEO Alison McCormack discussed how e-bikes had risen in popularity (some 11 percent of cyclists were on e-bikes in BN’s recent Super Tuesday bike count) and a presentation on Artwork on the Great Victorian Rail Trail explored how the initiative has increased rail trail patronage.
The second day of the conference was more informal: a leisurely ride/walk on the Lilydale to Seville section of the Warburton Rail Trail, with lunch at Carriage Cafe and a chance for more networking. These connections are a great outcome for the conference: it was terrific to see some who were stuck or struggling with their rail trails connecting with, and learning from, those who have experienced success.
Thanks to main sponsors Canyon and Brompton as well as PieProof and Tour de Vines, the RTA events committee and all the attendees for a successful conference.
More in the summer Connections magazine and we will look at sharing the presentations more widely.
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More News
Mansfield Shire Council has shown its commitment to maintaining the Great Victorian Rail Trail (GVRT) by spending $54,80...
Victorian rail trails may benefit from a grant pool of $3.55 million that is available for selected projects that enhanc...
Another detour has been removed from the High Country Rail Trail with the completion of a steel-truss bridge across Tall...
‘Rutherglen Loops’, a project that combines sealed paths, concrete shared paths, and carefully planned on-r...
Cradle Coast Authority launched a photo competition for images that highlight the scenery, amenity or activity along nor...
Yarra Ranges Council rolled out a ‘Summer on the Trails’ campaign recently to encourage more trail users to get off ...
Volunteer to count bikes for 2 hours on 4 March and Bicycle Network will donate $70 to Rail Trails Australia. Each year,...
Excitement is mounting as bridge works on the Yarra Valley Rail Trail near Yering in Victoria start to take shape. One o...
The Coast to Vines Rail Trail has a 4 km rural section between the suburb of Seaford Rise and the township of McLaren Va...
The NSW government has responded to a recent question on the possible return to rail services on Great Northern Rail Lin...
Last week the Fraser Coast Regional Council announced that it will request the Queensland Government to contribute $9 mi...
Our judge (a former newspaper travel editor) has selected the best rail trail review from a range of reviews submitted o...
Rail Trails Australia has announced the winners of $10,000 worth of grants designed to assist community organisations to...
Rail Trails Australia’s regional representatives are often testing out ‘their’ rail trails in the regi...
Our vice-president Steven Kaye was interviewed by Nic Healey on ABC radio (Victoria) this week. He discussed how local c...
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