Change at the top in Tumbarumba

Owen Fitzgerald, who has led the Riverina Highlands Rail Trail (RHRT) group since its inception in 2003, has announced his retirement from the RHRT leadership role.

During Owen’s tenure as Chairman, the RHRT group became the leaders and developers of the first “test case” rail trail on a disused government railway corridor in NSW, the Tumbarumba to Rosewood Rail Trail. Up to 2022, rail trail development in NSW had been hampered by unique legislative restrictions which had the unintended effect of giving local landholders the ability to impede approvals for rail trail development on disused government-owned rail corridors. The successful approval and construction of the Tumbarumba rail trail, which took 18 years to achieve and was opened in 2020 with none of the landholders’ worries actually occurring, paved the way for further rail trail development in NSW, notably the Northern Rivers Rail Trail (NRRT) which has also greatly exceeded usage expectations. Both rail trails (Tumbarumba and NRRT) point the way forward for successful rail trail development in NSW.

The new chairman of the RHRT is Kerry Pascoe, who is a long-time rail trail supporter and a former mayor of Wagga Wagga. Owen said: “The Riverina Highlands group is in good hands with Kerry. I will definitely keep interested in rail trail progress locally on the Tumbarumba to Wagga Wagga corridor, and across NSW in general. There is still much to do in NSW.”

Rail Trails Australia President Damian McCrohan said: “Rail Trails Australia acknowledges the pivotal role that the Riverina Highlands Rail Trail group has played in getting rail trails moving in NSW. Credit goes to Owen and the whole RHRT committee for pursuing their vision to get this important NSW rail trail constructed. The user numbers, the new and expanded businesses at both ends of the RHRT trail and the subsequent success of the Northern Rivers trail tell the story.”

Footnote: The next stage of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail from Casino to Bentley in NSW will be officially opened on 23 March 2024.