The Victorian Premier Steve Bracks opened the Colac to Gellibrand stage of the Old Beechy Rail Trail on Tuesday 16th July 2005. Railtrails Australia congratulates the committee on their years of hard work.
Unfortunately it wasn’t a very public opening due to the very short notice provided to the committee. They are hoping to have a public opening around October when the Gellibrand Bridge is completed.
A brochure for the trail is expected shortly. An updated description and map of the trail is available.
The following is a press release.
FROM THE OFFICE OF THE PREMIER, MINISTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
DATE: Tuesday, July 26, 2005
OTWAYS RAIL TRAIL LEADS TO TOURISM FUTURE
Victorian Premier Steve Bracks today opened the Colac to Gellibrand stage of the Old Beechy Rail Trail, a $1 million cycling and walking project that will help build a sustainable tourism future for the Otways region.
Mr Bracks and Environment Minister John Thwaites said the Rail Trail is one of 19 tourism projects being rolled out under the New Future for the Otways Tourism Initiative and will allow bike riders and walkers to travel uninterrupted from Colac Railway Station to Beech Forest.
“The Rail Trail follows much of the course of the original Colac to Beech Forest narrow-gauge rail line, taking in some of Victoria’s most beautiful and diverse rainforest along the way,” Mr Bracks said.
“We have committed over $1 million to making this Rail Trail a reality. It’s another significant part of our $7 million commitment to tourism in the Otways, which is one of Victoria’s largest-ever public land tourism investments.”
Mr Thwaites said that combined with the funding already spent on buying back sawlog licences in the Otways, the government’s $7 million investment in Otways tourism will support the transition to a nature-based tourism future.
“The New Future for the Otways Tourism Initiative is all about identifying the tourism opportunities with most potential and providing the funding and expertise to bring them to a world-class standard,” Mr Thwaites said.
The Colac Otway Shire Council is managing the project, which is sponsored by the Department of Sustainability and Environment, and draws on the expertise of a committee made up of local people who first suggested the project back in 1998. A pedestrian bridge over the Gellibrand river at Gellibrand will be ready in October. DSE has provided $685,000 towards the project and Regional Development Victoria $350,000.
The success of the project has also been due to the support of several private landholders who own sections of land containing parts of the original rail line.
The line was first opened in 1902, running south from Colac, through Barongarook and Gellibrand to Beech Forest. In 1911, the line was extended through Lavers Hill to finish at Crowes – a total distance of 72 kilometres.
Today the Rail Trail covers 45.9 km, with all but 13km of that distance being on or adjacent to the original route. The section between Colac and Gellibrand covers 26 kilometres.
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...
Get ready to ride the Great Victorian Rail Trail (GVRT) on Saturday, March 29. Cycle Dindi is a fully supported, family ...
Comments on the extension of the Mornington Railside Trail south of Melbourne close Friday 31 January. The draft master...
Transforming a disused railway line into a prized tourist attraction and public space is no easy task. The Summer 2024-2...
Building a shared bridge over busy Toorak Rd on the Outer Circle Rail Trail in Melbourne was not one of the state gove...
Tablelands Regional Council (TRC) and Mareeba Shire Council gathered at Walkamin recently to celebrate the joining of No...
The excitement continues in the Northern Rivers region of NSW with the official opening of Stage 3 of the Northern River...
The Barossa Council has been conducting a cleanup of the Angaston Station precinct on the Barossa Rail Trail. Invasive s...
The duplication of Adelaide’s Main South Rd to Aldinga, and its new shared path, have given users of the Coast to ...
Stay up to date with the latest news about Rail Trails with our free email news.
Register for news updatesExcitement 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...
Get ready to ride the Great Victorian Rail Trail (GVRT) on Saturday, March 29. Cycle Dindi is a fully supported, family ...
Comments on the extension of the Mornington Railside Trail south of Melbourne close Friday 31 January. The draft master...
Transforming a disused railway line into a prized tourist attraction and public space is no easy task. The Summer 2024-2...
Building a shared bridge over busy Toorak Rd on the Outer Circle Rail Trail in Melbourne was not one of the state gove...
Tablelands Regional Council (TRC) and Mareeba Shire Council gathered at Walkamin recently to celebrate the joining of No...
The excitement continues in the Northern Rivers region of NSW with the official opening of Stage 3 of the Northern River...
The Barossa Council has been conducting a cleanup of the Angaston Station precinct on the Barossa Rail Trail. Invasive s...
The duplication of Adelaide’s Main South Rd to Aldinga, and its new shared path, have given users of the Coast to ...