The construction of the 18.5 km section between Foster and Welshpool will begin on Friday February 8.
A Sod Turning Celebration event at 11:45 AM featuring the Hon Peter Ryan MP, Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional and Rural Development, and various councillors from the South Gippsland Shire Council, will take place at the beginning of the new section in Foster near the corner of Charity Lane and Lower Franklin Rd.
The project cost of approximately $2 million is being funded by the Victorian government and the South Gippsland Shire Council, and will include a gravel surface and 12 bridges.
This extension will see the South Gippsland Rail Trail run continuously from Meeniyan to Welshpool, a total of nearly 50 km.
In other news regarding the Great Southern Rail trail, South Gippsland Shire Council has applied for a grant of $40,000 from Regional Development Victoria. At this stage the grant is yet to be approved.
The grant is intended to fund an investigation into the structural integrity of the three wooden bridges in the Black Spur section of the Great Southern Rail Trail, just outside the town of Koonwarra, 8 km south of Leongatha.
Ultimately this will determine whether or not the Great Southern Rail Trail could be connected between Koonwarra and Meeniyan, over the bridges. At present the rail trail from Leongatha ends just outside of Koonwarra and a 2.6km diversion onto the busy and narrow South Gippsland Highway is necessary to reach the rail trail again, about half way to Meeniyan. This is a significant deterrent to many rail trail users.
While it would be wonderful to see the long timber bridges back in use again, Rail Trails Australia would like to see the study also consider new bridge options to go beside the timber bridges that may potentially have cheaper initial costs and probably significantly less long term maintenance issues. A similar approach was taken for the Pumphouse Creek bridge near Meeniyan.
And all things positive, if the bridges near Koonwarra can be connected to the existing trail, the South Gippsland Rail Trail will run from Leongatha to Welshpool with a continuous span of 66 km.
Rail Trails Australia congratulates the South Gippsland Shire Council on the very significant commitment it is making to getting the Great Southern Rail Trail fully completed.
Further updates are expected in the coming months.
For more details about the South Gippsland Rail Trail see our South Gippsland Rail Trail Description.
This week, we received the tragic news that the Mullumbimby railway station on the old Northern Rivers Railway was destr...
If you would like to be able to wheel your bike onto new NSW country trains to get to rail trails please contact the NSW...
The Feasibility Study for the Boorowa to Galong Rail Trail (BGRT) in south west NSW was completed in November 2022. The ...
The 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...
Stay up to date with the latest news about Rail Trails with our free email news.
Register for news updatesThis week, we received the tragic news that the Mullumbimby railway station on the old Northern Rivers Railway was destr...
If you would like to be able to wheel your bike onto new NSW country trains to get to rail trails please contact the NSW...
The Feasibility Study for the Boorowa to Galong Rail Trail (BGRT) in south west NSW was completed in November 2022. The ...
The 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...