Receive Our Free Email News
Stay up to date with the latest news about Rail Trails with our free email news.
Register for news updatesEast Gippsland Rail Trail is Open
Back on June 23 we reported the partial closure of the East Gippsland Rail Trail around Newmerella just before the end of the trail near Orbost. That article has been updated to reflect the current state of the trail given the fallen trees have been cleared.
We’d just like to clarify again the detour in place around the area.
Partial Trail Closure: Only the last kilometre of the trail at the eastern end is closed due to a major washout caused by flooding. The rest of the trail has been cleared of trees and is open.
Diversion: the trail is closed at Prestons Rd and signed as such. Travelling towards Orbost the diversion is to:
- travel south-east on Prestons road to the Princes Hwy ( approx 300m) then
- travel north-east on the Princes Hwy (approx 300 m) – there is a wide shoulder and it is an 80 kph speed limit to turnoff to Burn Rd on the left – it is immediately past the Shell Service Station.
- Turn left onto Burn Rd and follow down the hill approx 1 km to the Rail Trail track head at the bottom of the hill. Burn Rd is a very low traffic local road.
- A great side trip is to turn right onto Grand View Rd. and follow for approx 1 km to the lookout of the same name which offers spectacular views of the low level bridge and flood plains around the Snowy River and Orbost – well worth it!
Travelling to Bairnsdale from Orbost follow the above directions in reverse.
The Google map on the rail trail description accurately shows this diversion in red – Prestons Rd is the short arm running north-west off the highway near the western end of Newmerella. Burn Rd is incorrectly labelled Grandview Drive by Google and is the left hand branch north of the Princes Highway: Grandview Rd is the no-through road to the right which leads to the lookout.
Please visit the East Gippsland Rail Trail Description for more information about the Trail including details about the detour.
More News
Northern Rivers Rail Trail (NRRT) has done it again – winning gold at the 2026 North Coast Regional Tourism Awards...
Rail Trail Australia’s (RTA) Community Grants program 2026-2027 is open and taking applications now. The scope and fun...
Grand Ridge Rail Trail Committee of Management (CoM) has installed brand new information signs along the 13km rail trail...
Brisbane Valley Rail Trail (BVRT) trail manager Qld Department of Transport and Main Roads has just completed a 10km sur...
Blue Mountains City Council (BMCC) is asking for public support to reopen Lapstone Tunnel in the lower Blue Mountains. R...
Show your support for Rail Trails Australia by purchasing from our range of branded Rail Trails Australia clothing inclu...
Rail Trails Australia (RTA) has opened early-bird registration for the 2026 Rail Trails Conference to be held in Canberr...
The Barossa Council in South Australia has installed 2 new bench seats along the Barossa Trail near Angaston. An inclusi...
Rail Trails Australia’s (RTA) Eastern Victoria representative John Birrell attended the July launch of the Great S...
The clearing of part of the Boyne Burnett Inland Rail Trail (BBIRT), from Barrimoon to Barrimoon Rd, towards Kalpowar, h...
Public consultation conducted by Armidale Regional Council in June 2026 resulted in 85% of formal submissions supporting...
Rail Trails Australia Community Grants Program has funded Boyne Burnett Inland Rail Trail to purchase 3 storyboard-style...
Rail Trails Australia (RTA) is delighted to announce that South Burnett Rail Trail Users Association Inc. were successfu...
Bass Coast Shire Council has completed important upgrade works on a bridge along the Bass Coast Rail Trail near Dalyston...
Nominations close 31 July for the 2026 Victorian Landcare Awards! Celebrate the people and groups who are restoring and ...
On Friday 19 June 2026 a new shared path connecting the Bass Coast Rail Trail to Inverloch was officially opened with a ...
Calendar of Events
See upcoming eventsNews Archives
Receive Our Free Email News
Stay up to date with the latest news about Rail Trails with our free email news.
Register for news updatesFeatured Articles
Celebrating RTA’s Volunteers
26/05/25
More News
Northern Rivers Rail Trail (NRRT) has done it again – winning gold at the 2026 North Coast Regional Tourism Awards...
Rail Trail Australia’s (RTA) Community Grants program 2026-2027 is open and taking applications now. The scope and fun...
Grand Ridge Rail Trail Committee of Management (CoM) has installed brand new information signs along the 13km rail trail...
Brisbane Valley Rail Trail (BVRT) trail manager Qld Department of Transport and Main Roads has just completed a 10km sur...
Blue Mountains City Council (BMCC) is asking for public support to reopen Lapstone Tunnel in the lower Blue Mountains. R...
Show your support for Rail Trails Australia by purchasing from our range of branded Rail Trails Australia clothing inclu...
Rail Trails Australia (RTA) has opened early-bird registration for the 2026 Rail Trails Conference to be held in Canberr...
The Barossa Council in South Australia has installed 2 new bench seats along the Barossa Trail near Angaston. An inclusi...
Rail Trails Australia’s (RTA) Eastern Victoria representative John Birrell attended the July launch of the Great S...
The clearing of part of the Boyne Burnett Inland Rail Trail (BBIRT), from Barrimoon to Barrimoon Rd, towards Kalpowar, h...
Public consultation conducted by Armidale Regional Council in June 2026 resulted in 85% of formal submissions supporting...
Rail Trails Australia Community Grants Program has funded Boyne Burnett Inland Rail Trail to purchase 3 storyboard-style...
Rail Trails Australia (RTA) is delighted to announce that South Burnett Rail Trail Users Association Inc. were successfu...
Bass Coast Shire Council has completed important upgrade works on a bridge along the Bass Coast Rail Trail near Dalyston...
Nominations close 31 July for the 2026 Victorian Landcare Awards! Celebrate the people and groups who are restoring and ...
On Friday 19 June 2026 a new shared path connecting the Bass Coast Rail Trail to Inverloch was officially opened with a ...