It may be a little difficult carrying an #EmptyEsky on your bike, but you can still make a #RoadTripforGood using a rail trail as the foundation for your trip.
Many communities in Australia have been devastated by the recent bushfires. This time of year is usually the busiest for these communities as people visit them on holidays. With the threat of fires and road closures, beautiful towns have turned into ghost towns. But as the roads reopen, they are warmly welcoming people to #RollOnBack.
What better way to help but plan to do that rail trail you have always wanted to do? Make a weekend of it – you can see some of this country’s most magnificent sights, visit pretty villages and by buying their food, accommodation and souvenirs there you are helping these small businesses survive. Every dollar you spend while you are there is directly contributing to the recovery of the local economy.
Some of the rail trails worth tackling over a long weekend are:
Murray to the Mountains – 116kms. Stay in picture postcard towns like Beechworth, Bright or Myrtleford. All are right on the trail itself.
High Country Rail Trail – 80kms. Includes Tallangatta and the new extension to Shelley. Why not take some extra time to drive through to Corryong if the road is open.
East Gippsland Rail Trail – 94kms. Now re-opened this pretty trail has some of the most iconic views of historic old timber railway bridges in Australia.
There have been a number of brilliant campaigns launched to help provide information and inspiration for supporting these communities, including:
· Empty Esky is a massive social media movement encouraging Australians to take empty eskies (and full wallets), filling up on local produce to support regional economies.
· Road Trip for Good is a website that highlights fire-affected areas that are open and ready to welcome visitors once again, including a great interactive map listing areas and specific businesses that need our support.
As the situation can change, please check for local conditions and restrictions prior to heading off on your rail trail trip.
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Register for news updatesTour de Trail returns in 2023. Cyclists of all ages are invited to ride the Great Victorian Rail Trail (GVRT) for fun an...
Rushworth to Murchison Rail Trail Project (Waranga Section) Update The exciting 11km extension to the current Rushworth ...
A temporary trail has been established by the local community in Victoria’s Hamilton district, to connect the exis...
With the Tweed section of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail reaching the conclusion of construction in March, walkers and c...
The Ringwood-Belgrave Railway Trail in outer Melbourne will become more usable with plans to extend it further north. Cu...
Gannawarra Shire Council in Victoria has recently released its Walking and Cycling Strategy which includes the commitmen...
Over the next six months the next step towards the potential development of the Castlemaine-Maryborough Rail Trail (CMRT...
On 2 December 2022 the Queens Jubilee and commemorative tree planting event was held adjacent to the Mazlin Creek bridge...
Great news to finish 2022, the extension of the Great Southern Rail Trail in Gippsland, Victoria is finally complete. Th...
A proposal to bridge Toorak Rd for the Outer Circle Rail Trail is back on the agenda and under the wing of Victoria’s ...
Inspired by the success of the 5km Rokeby to Crossover Rail Trail, Baw Baw Council is forging ahead with $4million in tr...
The AGM for Monaro Rail Trail Inc was held at the Cooma Library and online on Monday 14 November 2022. The major outcome...
Following on from a successful exhibition at the Melbourne Bike Show last month, RTA were again represented at the inaug...
The Riesling Trail is one of Australia’s oldest and most popular rail trails with many experiences to enjoy in Sou...
On Friday 11 November, the two RTA Regional Reps for South Australia and their partners travelled to Clare to attend the...
The Friends of the Bendigo Kilmore Rail Trail have done a huge amount of work for the O’Keefe Rail Trail and RTA...