Traditional owners

We acknowledge the Bundjalung  people, the traditional custodians of the land and waterways on which the rail trail is built.

Development and future of the rail trail 

• It will be 128 km long when completed.
• The railway line was officially closed by NSW Parliament in October 2020, paving the way for construction of Stage One in 2022
• Stage 1 of 24km from Murwillumbah to Crabbes Creek opened in March 2023. The Tweed Section is the second pilot rail trail to be developed in NSW.
• Stage 2 at the southern end will be the 13.5km Casino to Bentley section, Richmond Valley Council is moving forward on Stage 2 with a construction due to be completed in December 2023

Transport for NSW completed a Casino to Murwillumbah Transport Study in 2013, following significant community requests for the return of passenger trains. The study evaluated the feasibility, benefits and costs of reinstating passenger services in the context of the current and future transport needs of people living in the study area, and potential connections to the South East Queensland public transport network.

The study found the line would not meet current or future transport needs and there were no significant opportunities with freight or tourism that could improve its viability. It determined that the rail infrastructure has deteriorated significantly, and more than $900 million would be needed to carry out the work required to ensure the system complied with safety and operating standards for frequent and reliable train services.

The rail line does not serve the major growth corridor between Lismore, Ballina, Byron Bay as well as the rapidly growing Tweed region and connections to South East Queensland. The study recommended investigating improving bus services to provide more people with frequent, cost-effective public transport to key destinations, rather than reinstating the rail line. Improvements could include increased services on key routes, better integration of timetables between services, changing other routes to include key destinations such as education campuses and hospitals, introducing new express services on the Pacific and Bruxner Highways, and improving passenger information. It recommended that the rail remain closed. The study noted that there is community interest in using sections of the rail line for a rail trail and, subject to stakeholder interest, this could be investigated further to test costs, benefits and feasibility.

To view a PDF copy of the study click HERE. (4.3MB)

The corridor has 145 timber bridges, 13 steel bridges and nine substantial tunnels, and reinstating and maintaining rail service to current safety standards will be an expensive option.

The Casino to Murwillumbah Rail Trail Study was commissioned by Ballina MP Don Page following the release of the Transport study. Released in June 2014, it states that a 130 km rail trail on the Casino to Murwillumbah corridor would have economic benefits to local communities as well as creating employment opportunities. Given the large number of timber bridges and tunnels on the corridor the estimated cost of construction is $75 million, with an estimated annual cost for maintenance between $884,000 to $ 1.15 million; significantly less than the cost of returning trains, and expenditure that would pay for itself within five years.

To see the full report click HERE

The Tweed Section is the second pilot rail trail to be developed in NSW. At the southern end of the trail is the Casino to Bentley section, with construction to follow. The Lismore and Byron sections are yet to seek funding or to embrace the rail trail.

Rail line history

The line connected Casino (on the Sydney to Brisbane main line) with Lismore, Byron Bay and Murwillumbah. The first section opened between Lismore and Murwillumbah in 1894, connecting the Richmond and Tweed Rivers. Passengers and goods were transported to Sydney by coastal shipping from Byron Bay. Nine years later, an extension from Lismore to Casino opened (later south to Grafton; it was not until 1932 that the line was fully connected with Sydney).

As early as 1889, feasibility talks took place into extending the line north from Murwillumbah into Queensland. The line became a branch line in 1930 when the North Coast main line was extended from Kyogle into South Brisbane.

The Casino to Murwillumbah railway line ceased operations in 2004.