Improvements and developments on the O’Keefe Rail Trail in northern Victoria continue apace. Over the past year all the former low level crossings have been replaced with at level bridges and the sub-standard suspension bridge over Axe Creek has also been replaced with an at-grade bridge. When combined with surface improvements and better signage the rail trail is a far better experience now.
Please click here for a complete description of the O’Keefe Rail Trail.
The hard working Friends of the Bendigo – Kilmore Rail Trail have also just provided us with a summary of the following good news and activities
Now you can walk or ride all the way from the Bendigo Creek to the Campaspe River on an off-road trail. The rail trail now takes you across Crows Road and winds its way through the town to finish at the Campaspe River Reserve
Once they’d finished at Axedale, the contractors packed up and moved south to Heathcote where a combination of gravel and sealed path will run for approx. 3.2 km between Speed Street and Pink Cliffs Road is now under construction. Talk about getting the trail from Axedale to Heathcote is all very well, but actually seeing a bobcat at work is getting the residents excited. We’re also excited – it’s the first bit of new trail beyond Axedale since the first section of trail was opened in the early 1990s.
It’s been a long time since they were taken down and now station signs are returning. With the help of a council community grant, council, fundraising by the Friends and a lot of time and muscle power, we’re installing five signs to mark some of the major stops between Bendigo and Axedale. Travellers along the trail will then be able to see where the train once stopped at Rifle Butts, Rangelea, Strathfieldsaye, Longlea and Axedale. A sixth sign will also show where the Heathcote station was located. The Friends are planning to install the signs at volunteer working bees before the end of December 2012.
The 16 green gates that were the bane of cyclists and horses travelling along the original O’Keefe trail are now gone. Weren’t they part of the trail’s own history? Well, yes, but we don’t deny they were removed by Friends’ and council muscle power with some pleasure.
At North Bendigo the rail trail connects with the Bendigo Creek Trail to get users closer to the centre of Bendigo. However this involves an informal crossing of the busy five lane Midland Highway (Napier St). The Friends group regard this crossing as hazardous and are lobbying council and VicRoads to consider this in their planning
What is also needed is a better connection to the Bendigo railway staton. With the improved VLine rail service to Bendigo even day trips by public transport are practical, refer Summer 2011/2012 Rail Trail Connections magazine for an article by members doing just this. Again the Friends group have requested that the City of Greater Bendigo, in conjunction with VicTrack and V/Line, create the ‘missing link’ shared path from the Bendigo Railway Station to McIvor Highway/Baxter Street. This route could utilise sections of the existing railway reserve, to create an off road shared path. From here it becomes the existing ‘Back Creek’ trail which connects to the Bendigo Creek Trail, which then connects to the O’Keefe Rail Trail. They have shown the proposed new link on Google Maps here.
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Register for news updatesThe 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...
An extension to the Amy Gillett Rail Trail will go ahead after a funding agreement was reached. Stage Four of the Amy Gi...
Riders and walkers will soon have another escape from the very popular Warburton Rail Trail courtesy of a program to cle...
On the 24 February the Atherton district and beyond saw members of the running and outdoor fraternity enjoying an inform...
Sunday, March 3 saw over 100 cyclists of various ages and abilities enjoy a bike ride under a clear blue sky and perfect...
After detailed historical and site investigations, Heritage Victoria have placed the former Rushworth Railway Station on...
It’s only been open for a year, but the Tweed section of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail has exceeded expectations. Dra...
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