Batlow - Tumut Rail Trail - Trail Description

Features

When constructed, the rail trail between Tumut and Batlow will be 32km in length. The abandoned Batlow line branches at Gilmore and follows, roughly, the picturesque route of Gilmore Creek. 

Batlow is at an altitude of 775m and the rail trail will fall 470m down to Tumut with constant picturesque views of the Gilmore Valley. 

Batlow is 40km by road north of Tumbarumba, which has a 21 km fully-sealed rail trail to Rosewood.

Description

Tumut and Batlow are both situated in the Snowy Mountains lower levels, to the north-west of the main Great Dividing Range. Tumut is a major regional town on the Tumut River, on the same latitude as Canberra, and has a population of around 6000.  

Batlow has a long history as an orchard-based town. There are many apple and stonefruit orchards in the area, along with fertile farmland.  

This rail trail traverses fertile farmland and valleys.  

The only station remaining is at Tumut, which is well maintained, near the visitor information centre.

The intention is to construct a rail trail that will be family-friendly, with a surface and facilities suitable for all types of bicycles and scooters. The trail will also be suitable for walkers, creating additional walking options in the region. It will contribute to and transform local tourism, and give a significant boost to the local economies of the region.

Background Information

The abandoned railway line between Tumut and Batlow was originally part of the longer Cootamundra to Tumut (104 km) and Kunama (an additional 35 km from Gilmore Junction) branch lines. Train services began to Batlow in 1922, and ended in 1983. The line was used mainly for fruit haulage. The whole branch line between Cootamundra and Tumut was closed in 1984 after sustaining major flood damage.

The Batlow-Tumut trail will also be part of a group of regional rail trails, encompassing Gundagai to the north and Tumbarumba to the south. Refer to the Murrumbidgee Rail Trail Proposal.

Links

For further information about the local Batlow - Tumut rail trail group, click on Batlow to Tumut Facebook page

For more information on tourism in the Tumut and Batlow regions, click on this link:  Batlow-Tumut Visitor Info

For information on the Gundagai sections of the trail, see Gundagai Trail Info

April 2020

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Contact Us About This Trail

Email or click here: nsw@railtrails.org.au.