NSW needs your help!
New South Wales, a state with over 2000km of prospective rail trails but only 146km open to date, is at a crucial point.
In late June 2022, the NSW government took three important steps towards faster rail trail development:
- The post-construction report on the Tumbarumba to Rosewood Rail Trail was published, showing positive outcomes on almost all measures – Tumbarumba report
- A Rail Trail Framework document was also released, providing requirements and guidelines for the development of rail trails in NSW – NSW Framework
- Draft legislation to allow the NSW government to grant leases to local councils on rail corridors for selected purposes including trail construction was introduced into the NSW parliament – Draft NSW legislation
The draft legislation comes before the NSW upper house again on 9 August. Rail Trails Australia welcomes the new direction that the NSW government is taking. We need your help now to show the NSW parliament that rail trails have wide community support.
Currently rail trail development in NSW is hampered by several factors including the need for individual NSW state legislation to be passed to “close” each abandoned rail line. The proposed legislation will remove the need for individual bills to be passed. The proposed legislation is a very important enabler for future rail trail development in NSW.
Many regional towns in NSW continue to miss out on significant economic and community benefits that rail trails bring, a situation that is now also confirmed by the NSW government’s own Tumbarumba report.
Your help is needed! There are reports of some opposition so please email or write a letter to NSW parliamentarians, especially those in the Legislative Council (upper house), in support of the proposed legislation and rail trails before 9 August. We need to show the elected leaders in NSW that the vast majority of citizens in NSW and across Australia support NSW rail trails, the same support as shown “in the flesh” in Tumbarumba.
You can find a list of Legislative Council members HERE
To show your support for NSW rail trails, send emails to:
- The Minister sponsoring the proposed legislation: The Hon Sam Farraway, Minister for Regional Transport and Roads; email: sa**********@pa********.au
- The President of the NSW Legislative Council: The Hon Matthew Mason-Cox; email: of******************@pa********.au
- The Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council: The Hon Penelope Sharpe; email: pe**********@pa********.au
For NSW supporters, please include your local NSW member of the NSW Legislative Assembly
If you have time, email other Members of the Legislative Council, especially those in minor parties.
More News
After years of planning and construction, the newest rail trail in Victoria, Waranga Rail Trail, opens for users on Tues...
We’ve added a bucket hat with the RTA logo and a drawstring for adjustments to our line of Rail Trails Australia b...
The State Government has provided funding to the City of Adelaide Council and the Unley Council to undertake significan...
Western Australia’s Department of Transport has released the Avon Central Coast 2050 Cycling Strategy, setting the st...
Construction of the next section of the Yarra Valley Trail (YVT), from Melba Bend to the Yarra River near Yarra Glen, i...
In good news, the recently-completed 30 km southern section of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail (NRRT) from Lismore to Cas...
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...
The final detour has been removed from the High Country Rail Trail with the completion of a steel-truss bridge across T...
‘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...
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
Orders Now Open for RTA Gear
24/03/25
More News
After years of planning and construction, the newest rail trail in Victoria, Waranga Rail Trail, opens for users on Tues...
We’ve added a bucket hat with the RTA logo and a drawstring for adjustments to our line of Rail Trails Australia b...
The State Government has provided funding to the City of Adelaide Council and the Unley Council to undertake significan...
Western Australia’s Department of Transport has released the Avon Central Coast 2050 Cycling Strategy, setting the st...
Construction of the next section of the Yarra Valley Trail (YVT), from Melba Bend to the Yarra River near Yarra Glen, i...
In good news, the recently-completed 30 km southern section of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail (NRRT) from Lismore to Cas...
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...
The final detour has been removed from the High Country Rail Trail with the completion of a steel-truss bridge across T...
‘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...
One comment on “NSW needs your help!”
I am very happy to support this idea. I drive past so many abandoned sections of railways and the towns along the way. Would love to ride these as rail trails and spend my money along the way. Rail Trails preserve these corridors, not destroy