News

Rail Trail News

Stay safe on rail trails this summer
21/12/23

Stay safe on Australian rail trails this summer. ...

Northern Rivers Rail Trail increases business operators
21/12/23

In a continuing example of the success of the Tweed section of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail, Tweed Shire Council has awarded licences to operate thr...

Skipton rail trail flood damage fixed!
20/12/23

The Skipton end of the Ballarat-Skipton Rail Trail suffered extensive rail damage in October 2022.  This rail trail traverses the Ballarat, Golden Pl...

Riesling Rail Trail – 25 Years and still going Strong
19/12/23

The Riesling Trail Committee celebrated its 25th anniversary on the 7 November 2023. The trail was one of the earliest rail trails to be constructed i...

Tour Down Under takes place soon in South Australia
19/12/23

South Australia’s iconic Tour Down Under international road cycling event is on again in January 2024 and will have some impact on several rail ...

New water station installed on Barossa Rail Trail
19/12/23

A new water station has recently been installed at the Angaston Adventure Park near the end of the Barossa Rail Trail. The SA Water provided facility ...

Great Rides. Great Walks. Great Art. Rediscover the Great Victorian Rail Trail.
16/12/23

The Great Victorian Rail Trail runs from Tallarook to Mansfield in Victoria’s High Country. This easily accessible, varied and unique rail trail...

Ride for Research 2024
13/12/23

Nine years ago, an 11-month-old baby girl from Sydney was diagnosed with a rare form of ovarian cancer. A softball-size tumour in her abdomen. Two yea...

Help identify unsafe spots for bike riding
07/12/23

Can spare a moment to drop a pin on a map? The Amy Gillett Foundation and CrowdSpot have launched “BikeSpot2023”. This project was initially launc...

It’s Showtime on Queensland Rail Trails
06/12/23

Australia’s most influential community riding organisation, Bicycle Queensland (BQ) has released a video campaign promoting the state’s abunda...

Rushworth Rail Trail update
23/11/23

Campaspe Shire Council have recently provided an update on the Rushworth Rail Trail project which is on track for completion in June 2024. Council wer...

Completion of major upgrades to East Gippsland Rail Trail
23/11/23

A celebration on 25 November on the trail at Mossiface will mark the completion of a series of major upgrades to the iconic East Gippsland Rail Trail....

Yackandandah Rail Trail parkrun
16/11/23

Parkrun is a free, community event where you can walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate. Many of these events take place on rail trails, such as this o...

Ultramarathon fundraiser for MS along the GVRT
07/11/23

Running a marathon is a big enough challenge, but running three marathons in a day is a massive feat of endurance. That’s what Linden Tolhurst did t...

Boorowa to Galong Rail Trail Moving Forward
07/11/23

The committee for  Boorowa to Galong Rail Trail Inc has made a significant leap towards realization of the Boorowa Galong Rail Trail with funding now...

Safer crossing for Yarra Valley trails
02/11/23

The unstoppable Yarra Ranges Council have been at it again, with pedestrian-activated traffic lights installed at the increasingly busy Beresford Rd, ...

Just in time for the holidays
30/10/23

November UPDATE: Unfortunately the soft opening in December has been postponed due to bridge program being delayed. It will happen early in the New Ye...

Southern NSW Rail Trails Making Progress
28/10/23

What is the situation with numerous rail trail proposals in the southern highlands of NSW? In October, Rail Trails Australia president Damian McCrohan...

The Bunny Trail officially opens
27/10/23

City of Ballarat Mayor Cr Des Hudson officially opened The Bunny Trail on Tuesday 24 October. The “Bunny Trail” provides a new route between Mt Cl...

Murray to Mountains Art Installations EoI
25/10/23

Some of our more mature rail trails are looking at ways to enhance visitor experience to increase visitations. This includes the Murray to Mountains R...

“Ride into History” along the Lilydale-Warburton Rail Trail
24/10/23

Join the Upper Yarra Valley Historical Society’s slow paced bicycle ride from Warburton to Yarra Junction along the Warburton Rail Trail and exp...

Upgrade of directional signage and installation of bike repair stations on Amy Gillett Rail Trail
24/10/23

A few small changes to the Amy Gillett Rail Trail in South Australia have occurred in recent months that will make riding the trail a lot safer and mo...

A remarkable effort produces a remarkable Rail Trail
24/10/23

The District Council of Mt Remarkable has completed the final stage of the Southern Flinders Rail Trail, the 28km Booleroo Centre to Stone Hut section...

Another step closer to becoming Australia’s longest rail trail for Boyne Burnett Inland Rail Trail
08/10/23

Construction of Australia’s soon to be longest rail trail has recently gained momentum, with the Palaszczuk Government announcing a further $188,000...

Waranga Basin Fish Habitat Installation Project linked to Victorian Rail Trail
06/10/23

A very interesting and environmentally important project has commenced at the Waranga Basin.  The Campaspe Shire Council, as part of its commitment t...

New section of Brisbane Valley Rail Trail opened
05/10/23

A new section of the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail (BVRT) has recently opened from Moore to the historic Moore Linville Cemetery. Up until now the rail t...

Restored locomotive is new attraction to Kilkivan Kingaroy Rail Trail
05/10/23

The Murgon Men’s Shed has recently unveiled a restored locomotive at its display area beside the old Murgon Railway station. The Murgon Men̵...

Have you hired an e-bike to ride a rail trail?
03/10/23

We want to talk to people who’ve used e-bikes on a rail trail. As we all know, e-bikes are becoming increasingly popular, and not only in cities...

Grampians Rail Trail receives funding from Stawell Gold Mines to support flood damage restoration and reinforcement
02/10/23

Almost 12 months ago parts of Central Victoria were significantly impacted by flood events that caused major damage across a number of areas including...

Blazing the rail trail path around Victoria
30/09/23

Paul Baker has cycled over 2,400 kilometers since the start of January. The 47-year-old set himself the goal of riding all 43 rail trails around Victo...

Goulburn rail trail a step closer
28/09/23

Plans for a rail trail in the NSW regional city of Goulburn are a step closer, after the Goulburn Mulwaree Council voted to support the rail trail pro...

Eastern end of Great Southern Rail Trail nears completion
27/09/23

Wellington Shire Council, in conjunction with South Gippsland Shire Council, is constructing 21km of the Great Southern Rail Trail between Welshpool a...

Mike Tomalaris Discusses the Tour de France and Love of Rail Trails
26/09/23

After the recent Rail Trails Australia annual general meeting, attendees were treated to discussion from legendary cycling broadcaster Mike Tomalaris....

Queensland Action Cycling Plan 2023-2025 released
22/09/23

The Queensland Government has just released its third action plan under the 10-year Queensland Cycling Strategy for 2023-2025. The plan sets out a sus...

Status of the Snowy Bridge Restoration
18/09/23

The restoration of the 770m long iconic Snowy River trestle bridge on the East Gippsland Rail Trail has not been immune to the significant cost increa...

Gippsland Trail Link Progress
18/09/23

The plan to link the Great Southern Rail Trail and Bass Coast Rail Trail at Nyora has taken a further step as tenders for the feasibility study close....

Mary Valley Rail Trail moves forward
11/09/23

The extension of the Mary Valley Rail Trail (MVRT) in south-east Queensland has taken some crucial steps forward in recent months.  Currently Stage 1...

Amy Gillett Rail Trail – extension from Mt Torrens to Birdwood
07/09/23

In 2020 the Adelaide Hills Council was successful in securing $2.6m in funding from the Federal Government to complete stage 4 of the Amy Gillett Rail...

New section of Mary to Bay Rail Trail officially opened
26/08/23

An enjoyable morning was had by nearly 350 people who attended the official opening of a new 11k section of the Mary to Bay (Fraser Coast) Rail Trail ...

Rail trail motion passed by Byron Bay Council for next section of Northern Rivers Rail Trail
26/08/23

A motion for supporting a rail trail through Byron Shire was passed by Byron Bay Council — it is a wonderful outcome for all rail trails in NSW ...

Expert study declares trail can ‘transform’ Central Victoria with jobs and visitors
25/08/23

An expert study just released affirms the transformative effect a rail trail will have on the Central Victoria.  The 9-month study marks the biggest ...

Batlow rail trail a step closer
24/08/23

The Batlow Tumut Rail Trail Association has announced that funding has been secured for a feasibility study update, a key step in getting stage 1 of t...

Extension of the Camperdown Timboon Rail Trail south to Port Campbell
24/08/23

The 12 Apostles Trail is scheduled for completion this November.  This trail extends the current 38km Camperdown to Timboon Rail Trail by an addition...

Cycling 160km on the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail
23/08/23

We thoroughly enjoyed cycling the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail recently. Being from Hobart, we appreciated the companies that booked our accommodation, ...

Trail Towns – The Brisbane Valley Rail Trail episode premiers on SBS
15/08/23

Queensland’s Department of Transport and Main Roads has partnered with Trail Towns to create an episode that winds 161 km all the way from Yarraman ...

Progress towards the Woodend to Riddells Creek Shared Trail Project
13/08/23

The Macedon Ranges Shire Council 23/24 Budget includes $6 million to progress construction on the Woodend to Riddells Creek Shared Trail project – $...

Girgarre Stanhope Rail Trail Tree Planting Day
13/08/23

Girgarre Stanhope Land Protection group had a perfect day for a tree planting working bee on July 19, 2023 on the Girgarre Stanhope Rail Trail. The gr...

Support the Northern Rivers Rail Trail to go through Byron Shire
04/08/23

The Northern Rivers has one of the best climates and scenery. The number of people using the Northern Rivers Rail Trail have far exceeded what was exp...

RTA clothing now available for limited period
01/08/23

Our range of branded Rail Trails Australia clothing including long and short sleeve cycling jerseys, T-shirts, polos and MTB jerseys, are available to...

New start for Bellarine Rail Trail
25/07/23

The start of the Bellarine Rail Trail in Geelong has been destroyed, but it’ll be back better than ever next year. The first part of the trail from ...

Rail Trail Forum a Big Success (Updated)
23/07/23

July UPDATE: Presentations added. On 24 March, Rail Trails Australia hosted the 2023 Rail Trails Forum in Murwillumbah NSW, timed to coincide with the...

Westside Rail Trail Overpass to provide safety for cyclists
22/07/23

The 10.5 km Torrens to Darlington upgrade of Main South Road in Adelaide will involve two tunnel sections and some complex new surface roads that have...

Planned re-establishment of the rail line to the Port Dock precinct
22/07/23

The Adelaide to Port Dock railway line was constructed in 1856 to service the passenger and freight movement between the Port Dock and Adelaide. With ...

Boorowa Galong Rail Trail seeks support for development plan
16/07/23

The Boorowa Galong Rail Trail Committee has launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for its rail trail development plan, the next step in bringing...

Usage data released on Tweed section of Northern Rivers Rail Trail
11/07/23

Tweed Shire Council Rail Trail Managers have released the data from counters placed in various locations for the first four months since the March ope...

Sydney’s latest railside trail is open
09/07/23

Sydney has a new railside trail, situated in the centre of the western suburbs. The Rosehill to Carlingford trail, which follows the northern section ...

RTA presents at annual West Region Bicycle Forum
08/07/23

On 17 May, committee member and RTA representative Sam Reich presented on the status of rail trail development in New South Wales at a forum hosted by...

Attention turns to construction of Casino end of Northern Rivers Rail Trail
06/07/23

The Casino to Bentley section of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail in northern NSW is underway. With alignment designs now completed, Richmond Valley Cou...

Rushworth Murchison Rail Trail Project Update
02/07/23

Campaspe Shire Council, who are the project leads on the Rushworth Murchison Rail Trail in Northern Victoria, recently updated the community on the pr...

Celebrations for opening of Four Mile Scrub to Boynedale Bush Camp Rail Trail
30/06/23

Gladstone Area Water Board (GAWB) celebrated the opening of its new $970,000 Four Mile Scrub to Boynedale Bush Camp Rail Trail, alongside the Minister...

Construction of trailhead on Brisbane Valley Rail Trail
20/06/23

Kudos to the Queensland State Department of Transport and Main Roads, the trail managers of the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail, who have recently complete...

New Bike Repair Station for Old Beechy Rail Trail
20/06/23

On a warm autumn day in May 2023, the local Otway community came together to witness the opening of the Old Beechy Rail Trail bike repair station in G...

Paul Baker returns to Northern Victoria and rides three trails in one day
18/06/23

We recently featured Paul Baker riding the O’Keefe Rail Trail which was his 29th Rail Trail for the year.  On Saturday, 17 June, Paul returned to r...

Recent developments on Atherton Tableland Rail trails
16/06/23

With the recent rail trail activity in the southern states, we are pleased to report that our two local councils, Tableland Regional Council (TRC) and...

Marathon along the GVRT draws strong turn-out
08/06/23

Sunday, 4 June, saw the Mansfield Marathon along the Mansfield end of the Great Victorian Rail Trail (GVRT) return for the second time on a stunning w...

Central Victorian Rail Trails feature in Paul Baker’s latest rides
06/06/23

Paul Baker, an enthusiastic rider who is aiming to ride every rail trail in Victoria in 2023, recently rode his 29th Rail Trail on Saturday, 3 June. ...

Port Fairy – Warrnambool Rail Trail surface to be improved
01/06/23

The section of the Port Fairy – Warrnambool Rail Trail between Port Fairy and Illowa will soon benefit from a new surface, thanks to $600,000 in Fed...

Castlemaine Maryborough Rail Trail – your feedback is needed
28/05/23

The community have the opportunity to provide direct feedback to assist the Mt Alexander Shire Council in partnership with Central Goldfields Shire Co...

O’Keefe Rail Trail Facilities Upgrade and Customer Feedback
27/05/23

The City of Greater Bendigo will shortly commence a project to construct and install public toilets, bike hoops, new parking area for up to 16 vehicle...

Art Trail Launch on the Great Victorian Rail Trail
26/05/23

A large crowd turned out today (Friday 26 May) on a beautiful morning at Trawool Estate for the official launch of the Art Trail on the Great Victoria...

Snowy Railway Bridge restoration progress
25/05/23

On Wednesday 10 May 2023 a public-information session was held for community members to view and discuss the plans for restoration of the historic 770...

Coast to Vines Rail Trail set to become the center of the Southern Vales bike trail network
24/05/23

The duplication of Main South Road from Seaford to Sellicks Beach has commenced and will include a 16km off-road shared use path which will connect to...

Buninyong Rail Trail makes progress
23/05/23

The Bunny Rail Trail is a new trail under development between Ballarat and Buninyong in Western Victoria. Walkers, runners, and cyclists using the rai...

More good news awards and accolades for the Northern Rivers Rail Trail
20/05/23

The good news just keeps rolling in for the Tweed Section of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail with the Tweed Council NRRT Project team winning the Conse...

Richmond Vale Rail Trail Western Section REF Unanimously Approved
19/05/23

On 17 May 2023, Cessnock City Council unanimously approved the Review of Environmental Factors (REF) and associated reports for the Western section of...

Rail Trail Relay Biggest Yet!
03/05/23

The third South Burnett Express Rail Trail Relay, run from Kingaroy to Wondai (on the Kilkivan – Kingaroy Rail Trail) and back on Sunday, was th...

Extension nearly done for Eastern Dandenong Ranges Trail
03/05/23

The catchily-named Eastern Dandenong Ranges Trail will have its 800m extension from Edenmont Rd to Belgrave-Gembrook Rd ready in time for winter. Ther...

Flat to Vale Side Trail – a small trail that leaves a big impression
01/05/23

The Coast to Vines Rail Trail in South Australia now has a new side trail called the Flat to Vale Trail and while it is only 4km in length, the scener...

More Overpasses for Mike Turtur Rail Trail
20/04/23

The Australian and South Australian governments have jointly (50:50) funded $400m for the removal of level crossings where the Glenelg tram and the Mi...

Art on the Great Victorian Rail Trail coming soon
18/04/23

The Great Victorian Rail Trail (GVRT) Art Installation Project is on track to be completed by the end of April as planned. Murrindindi, Mitchell and M...

Back on Track
13/04/23

The Yarra Valley Trail (YVT) stage 1a opened a few years ago and is now heavily used and embraced by the community. Not only does 1a connect the Lilyd...

Great Southern Rail Trail Opening
07/04/23

The official opening of the Nyora to Leongatha section of the Great Southern Rail Trail was held on Saturday, 1 April. The well-organised event involv...

Community Celebrates the Northern Rivers Rail Trail Opening
27/03/23

The Tweed region in northern NSW celebrated the opening of the first section of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail in a big way last Saturday and Sunday. ...

Official opening of extension to Great Southern Rail Trail
27/03/23

Come and walk or ride the Great Southern Rail Trail at the official opening event for the extension between Nyora to Leongatha. This event will take p...

Light the Trail Night Ride is back!
27/03/23

The O’Keefe Challenge is gearing up for its annual Light the Rail Trail on Saturday 29 April 2023.  The annual event is a unique experience where r...

A film to move hearts and minds
26/03/23

The Castlemaine Maryborough Rail Trail Inc (CMRT) have taken a visionary and courageous step to create a short film to bring the potential Castlemaine...

Tour de Trail delivers a ride for fun and fitness
25/03/23

Over 130 cyclists of various ages and abilities enjoyed a bike ride in perfect conditions along the Great Victorian Rail Trail (GVRT) on Sunday, 12 Ma...

Community Information Session for new shared path as part of the Peninsula Trail
23/03/23

Planning for the new Somerville to Baxter shared path as part of the Peninsula Trail project is progressing well. The Baxter-Somerville rail-side pat...

Rural section of Mary to Bay Rail Trail progressing well
19/03/23

Rail Trails Australia Central Queensland rep Desley O’Grady made a flying visit to Hervey Bay recently to inspect the latest work on the Mary to...

Expanding the use of Rail Trails by Caravan holiday makers
19/03/23

Are you a keen caravanner? Are you also a cyclist? The March edition of the Caravan World magazine has a theme of family/Easter touring.  It contains...

Copper Coast Rail Trail (SA) extended from Wallaroo to Moonta
17/03/23

The Copper Coast Rail Trail between Kadina and Wallaroo was constructed in 2017. The 17km extension of the trail from Wallaroo to Moonta means that th...

Northern Rivers Rail Trail Community Weekend
16/03/23

It’s time to bring the community together for the official celebration weekend of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail. On Saturday 25 March and Sunday 26...

New study finds Wadandi Track will have enormous benefits for the community
06/03/23

The Wadandi Track (formerly known as the Busselton-Flinders Bay Rail Trail) is a partially complete rail trail in WA’s South West. Two separate/disc...

History made with Tweed Section of Northern Rivers Rail Trail opening today
01/03/23

There was a palpable sense of history being made in Murwillumbah NSW this morning, as the Tweed section of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail was official...

Improvements for the O’Keefe Rail Trail
01/03/23

The City of Greater Bendigo are currently in the process of ensuring some of the older sections of Victoria’s O’Keefe Rail Trail receive some ...

Lilydale Falls to Wyena is now part of the North East Tasmania Rail Trail
27/02/23

The Launceston Council recently approved another section of the Scottsdale to Lilydale rail trail, part of the North East Tasmania Rail Trail. This ut...

News update on Eastern Dandenong Ranges Trail
22/02/23

The “Puffing Billy trail” is getting closer to the iconic Victorian steam train’s Belgrave headquarters, even if only incrementally. The Cardini...

Charity bike ride along the Great Victorian Rail Trail
16/02/23

Cycle Dindi returns to the Great Victorian Rail Trail (GVRT) on Saturday, April 1. Cyclists have the choice of three start points converging on Cathki...

Progress on Goulburn and Batlow Rail Trails
12/02/23

Two proposed significant New South Wales rail trails have recently received funding for updated feasibility and business case studies.The NSW member f...

50,000th person on the Tumbarumba rail trail
07/02/23

Rail Trails Australia congratulates Ray Davies, who became the 50,000th person to go past the Tumbarumba rail trail counter.  The milestone for the T...

Great Victorian Rail Trail hosts family friendly bike ride
26/01/23

Tour de Trail returns in 2023. Cyclists of all ages are invited to ride the Great Victorian Rail Trail (GVRT) for fun and fitness on Sunday, March 12....

Rushworth to Murchison Rail Trail Project
22/01/23

Rushworth to Murchison Rail Trail Project (Waranga Section) Update The exciting 11km extension to the current Rushworth to Murchison Rail Trail is aim...

Temporary route now connects Hamilton to Coleraine Rail Trail
16/01/23

A temporary trail has been established by the local community in Victoria’s Hamilton district, to connect the existing two 11km sections of the ...

Northern Rivers Rail Trail Moving Ahead
14/01/23

With the Tweed section of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail reaching the conclusion of construction in March, walkers and cyclists will soon be enjoying ...

Ringwood gets closer
10/01/23

The Ringwood-Belgrave Railway Trail in outer Melbourne will become more usable with plans to extend it further north. Currently trail users taking the...

Potential progress towards the Kerang to Koondrook Rail Trail
10/01/23

Gannawarra Shire Council in Victoria has recently released its Walking and Cycling Strategy which includes the commitment to continue to plan and deli...