Much of the following content was provided to Hilltops Council in a report.
At the October Hilltops Meeting, Councillors received a report with details of a request from Boorowa Galong Rail Trail Inc. for Council to lead and endorse the application to Transport for NSW for a new Rail Trail in a disused railway corridor between Boorowa and Galong.
Council approved the recommendations:
(a) Approve the request from Boorowa Galong Rail Trail Inc. to endorse the application to Transport for NSW for the formation of the Boorowa to Galong Rail Trail;
(b) Establish a Boorowa Galong Rail Trail Oversight Committee as outlined in the report;
(c) Authorise the application for Third party access licence (Minor Activities licence) – to get on to the rail corridor to undertake surveys, etc;
(d) Submit to Transport for NSW the proposed boundary of the proposed lease area of the rail trail; and
(e) Upon approval by Transport for NSW of an area for the Rail Trail, commence community consultation in accordance with the requirements of the Transport for NSW Framework.
Rail trails are shared-use paths built on disused railway corridors. They provide safe, offroad pathways for everyone to cycle, walk, run, push a pram, ride a scooter and enjoy the outdoors. Many are wheelchair accessible, and all have moderate gradients.
There are now rail trails right across Australia and around the world. Rail trails link large and small country towns through scenic countryside, just as railways did in the past.
There are over 2,000km of rail trails in Victoria, SA, WA and Tasmania but only about 140km in NSW, mostly in urban areas.
Most trails have a gravel or dirt surface suitable for walking, mountain bikes and horses. Some are sealed and are great for touring bikes too. Following the route of the railways, they cut through hills, under roads, over embankments and across gullies and creeks. While the railway line and sleepers are usually removed when a railway is closed, remnants of the past such as railway cuttings and bridges still remain. Rail trails can also pro-vide linear conservation corridors protecting native plants and animals. The railway corridor between Boorowa and Galong remains in public ownership.
Since the closure of the operating railway over 35 years ago, little maintenance has been carried out within the railway. In most locations, the steel railway track and old rotting sleepers remain. Wineries and other attractions are located near many trails as well as varied accommodation options, resulting in a positive impact on local tourism.
The Development Plan estimates the detailed cost of the conversion of the corridor to a rail trail between Boorowa and Galong is $11,536,265 (excluding GST). The breakdown of these costs are: Building a trail connecting Boorowa and Gooramma trailhead will cost $5,168,910. Building a trail connecting Gooramma trail-head to Nannong siding will cost $3,261,675. Building a trail connecting Nannong siding to Galong will cost $3,105,680. The Development Plan estimates a day to day maintenance costing for a rail trail between Boorowa and Galong is $66,400/year (exclud-ing GST) ($2,447/km/yr.
The cost of developing the Boorowa Galong Rail Trail is estimated to be $10.8 million, and an annual operation and maintenance cost of $50,000. The estimated annual benefit to the local economy will be in the order of $2.9 million according to Council.
The limited accommodation in Boorowa has also been highlighted as a concern for Council. This shortage of accommodation has been attributed to the ongoing development of windfarms in the region by some community members. The study has identified that the major market for the rail trail is likely to be day trippers primarily from Canberra – these users do not require accommodation. However, this issue is important for Council to consider. The lack of amenities in Galong is also of concern. Even though there are basically no facilities within Galong presently, that does not mean that this situation will remain once the rail trail is operating. The recently released Rail Trails for NSW Evaluation Study states that the Tumbarumba Rosewood Rail Trail has resulted in nine new or expanded businesses since its opening in April 2020 (accommodation, food and beverage and bicycle hire).
Very recent data (2021) shows that users of the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail are spending an average of $118.88/day for day trippers and $179.81/day for overnight visitors. Overnight visitors are staying an average of 2.75 nights, increasing their total spend to almost $500/trip.
The Council proposing the new Rail Trail must address any environmental, heritage and cultural impacts that may result from the Rail Trail proposal, such as biosecurity concerns. This includes impacts identified through planning controls, Environment Impact Statement (EIS) findings such as contamination, and issues raised through the Rail Trail community consultation process. During the community consultation process, owners of land adjacent to a proposed Rail Trail may raise concerns about biosecurity, animal welfare and other environmental impacts. For example, several issues were raised in the consultation process for the Tumbarumba to Rosewood Rail Trail relating to animal welfare, including the risk of sheep being chased by dogs, cows being scared by cyclists and the need for livestock to safely cross the Rail Trail to access water. A council proposing a Rail Trail is encouraged to work in partnership with Local Land Services to establish a system allowing landowners to confidentially discuss any concerns such as security risks, crime or loss of privacy. Other heritage, social or cultural groups may also raise concerns around environmental impacts. It is also possible Aboriginal middens or an endemic endangered plant species could be found on the proposed Rail Trail. If this is the case, their protection must be planned for and addressed in an Environment Impact Statement.
Once concerns have been identified, mitigation measures should be incorporated into the Rail Trail proposal and concept, and detailed designs and communicated with landowners.
-Jack Murray
