Traditional owners

We acknowledge the Gumbaynggir people, the traditional custodians of the land and waterways on which the rail trail will be built.

Development and future of the rail trail

As of June 2021 there is no active committee trying to lobby for the construction of a rail trail on this disused corridor.  Rail Trails Australia views this as a viable potential rail trail.  However the whole railway corridor is now privately owned, and the future of a rail trail is uncertain at this stage.

If you are interested, contact us at nsw@railtrails.org.au

Rail line history 

The Dorrigo branch branches off the North Coast Line at Glenreagh, and climbs to the Dorrigo Plateau.

Due to the steep terrain, it was decided to build a railway to allow products to be brought to nearby port towns. Several routes were surveyed, with the route from Glenreagh eventually chosen. The line climbs 664 m over 69km.

The steep terrain and high rainfall made construction and maintenance difficult. Due to the tight curves, a check rail was employed in numerous places. Two tunnels and many bridges were required.

Apart from the end points of Dorrigo and Glenreagh, the stations on this line were very small, often consisting of a short platform with a small shelter. The major traffic on this line was timber.

The line was unprofitable for much of its life and when several washaways occurred in 1972, it was decided to suspend services rather than to repair the damage.

Two preservation groups have taken over the line. The Glenreagh Mountain Railway has taken over the lower section, from Glenreagh to Ulong. The organisation was restoring the infrastructure and re-sleepering the line with the aim of introducing tourist services using rail trikes and their steam locomotive, No 1919.

The upper half of the line from Ulong to Dorrigo is managed by the Dorrigo Steam Railway and Museum. This group (whose museum is not open to the public) formerly had plans to run services on the top half of the line.