The Committee of Management and Friends of this unique recreation trail appeal for your support to save this trail.
The Minister for Environment and Conservation Sherryl Garbutt is threatening this recreation trail with her decision to halt development at Maroondah Highway to allow a school to lease a 500m section of the reserve in Lilydale for yard purposes.
As a result one farmer this month lodged an application to close 2km of the trail through their property claiming they are entitled to be treated in the same manner as the Sisters of Mercy Property Group. Last week the Minister’s office suggested the sale of the 101 year old railway reserve to the school as part of a landswap deal which would send trail users along a drainage easement beside paling fences for 300m – a poor compromise compared to the magnificent views and gentle gradient of the old railway.
The land in question is zoned public parkland recreation under the Shire of Yarra Ranges Planning Scheme – a zoning achieved after extensive community consultation.
Department of Natural Resources and Environment consultants concluded the school’s security concerns and access needs can be resolved with appropriate security fencing, crossings and screen plantings.
Yarra Ranges Shire has set aside $150,000 towards a pedestrian bridge over Maroondah Highway and is supporting the Committee but they need to hear from the users.
The school principal, Bernard Dobson claims the trail represented safety risks to students exposing them to drug dealers and pornography pushers. He says students will be disrupted in their classrooms. The nearest classroom is some 100-150m above the trail up a very steep hill.
See the site for yourself at Melway reference is Map 38 G 2. You will note the topography of the site which isolates the former railway line from the classrooms, the historic bridge and two crossings and the hot house and small horticultural area – the only use being made of this public land today.
The committee is committed to working with the school to resolve security and access issues.
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Register for news updatesOn 24 March, Rail Trails Australia hosted the 2023 Rail Trails Forum in Murwillumbah NSW, timed to coincide with the Com...
The Tweed region in northern NSW celebrated the opening of the first section of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail in a big ...
Come and walk or ride the Great Southern Rail Trail at the official opening event for the extension between Nyora to Leo...
The O’Keefe Challenge is gearing up for its annual Light the Rail Trail on Saturday 29 April 2023. The annual event ...
The Castlemaine Maryborough Rail Trail Inc (CMRT) have taken a visionary and courageous step to create a short film to b...
Over 130 cyclists of various ages and abilities enjoyed a bike ride in perfect conditions along the Great Victorian Rail...
Planning for the new Somerville to Baxter shared path as part of the Peninsula Trail project is progressing well. The B...
Rail Trails Australia Central Queensland rep Desley O’Grady made a flying visit to Hervey Bay recently to inspect ...
Are you a keen caravanner? Are you also a cyclist? The March edition of the Caravan World magazine has a theme of family...
The Copper Coast Rail Trail between Kadina and Wallaroo was constructed in 2017. The 17km extension of the trail from Wa...
It’s time to bring the community together for the official celebration weekend of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail. On S...
The Wadandi Track (formerly known as the Busselton-Flinders Bay Rail Trail) is a partially complete rail trail in WA’s...
There was a palpable sense of history being made in Murwillumbah NSW this morning, as the Tweed section of the Northern ...
The City of Greater Bendigo are currently in the process of ensuring some of the older sections of Victoria’s O’...
The Launceston Council recently approved another section of the Scottsdale to Lilydale rail trail, part of the North Eas...
The “Puffing Billy trail” is getting closer to the iconic Victorian steam train’s Belgrave headquarters, even if o...