Tumbarumba to Rosewood Rail Trail. Residents of Snowy Valleys pay for the maintenance and upkeep of the trail.
Council is promoting information sessions which will occur on Wednesday 18th February at Boorowa Ex-Services Club 3:30pm to 6:30pm and Thursday 19th February at the Galong Hall 3:30pm to 6:30pm.
Residents are advised that decisions made in the future may have long standing influence over costs for ratepayers Hilltops wide.
(often abbreviated as TRC) TRC Tourism is an independent consulting firm specialising in tourism, recreation, and conservation planning. Established over 25 years ago, the company has been engaged for the Rail trail project. They have delivered more than 800 projects globally, with a focus on sustainable tourism solutions, destination management, feasibility studies, Indigenous tourism, and recreational trails development.
TRC employs a team of in-house consultants and support staff, supplemented by a network of associate consultants worldwide. The firm emphasises honest, adaptable, and practical approaches, drawing on expertise in areas like park management, marketing, economics, and community engagement to create achievable outcomes that respect people and environments.
Income Sources
As a consulting business, TRC’s primary income derives from fees charged for professional services provided to clients, including government agencies, local councils, destination management organisations, non-profits, and private entities. This includes contracts for strategic planning, business and operational consulting, feasibility assessments, masterplans, and project development in tourism and recreation sectors. They often work on grant-funded initiatives, such as those supported by regional tourism bodies or international development organisations (e.g., World Bank or SPREP in the Pacific). Additional revenue may come from specialised webinars, training, or publications related to their expertise, though consulting projects form the core. No public financial statements detail exact earnings, but their long track record and global client base suggest stable income from diverse, projectbased engagements.
Position on Rail Trails
TRC holds a strongly supportive position on rail trails, viewing them as valuable assets for tourism, recreation, community health, and economic diversification. They advocate for converting disused rail corridors into multi-use paths, highlighting benefits like visitor attraction, safe active transport, heritage preservation, and regional stimulus. Rail trails are a key part of their recreational trails services, where they promote holistic development that integrates tourism drawcards, environmental sustainability, and community connectivity.
For instance, they emphasise how rail trails can address health issues (e.g., physical inactivity, mental well-being) and safety concerns (e.g., reducing road cycling risks), while fostering economic growth in rural areas.
Employed by Proponents to Discuss Positives
TRC is frequently employed by entities proposing or advocating for rail trails, such as local councils, regional tourism organisations, and community groups, to prepare feasibility studies, business cases, and masterplans that underscore the positives.
These reports typically focus on economic potential (e.g., visitor spending, job creation), social benefits (e.g., health and connectivity), and viability to build support and secure funding. Examples include their work for Destination Gippsland on the Gippsland Trail feasibility, Central West NSW on cycle tourism strategies, and various Victorian councils on trail frameworks. While their analyses are professional and evidence-based, the nature of consultancy often aligns with client goals of advancing projects, emphasising upsides.
Examples of Discussing Downsides
TRC does acknowledge and discuss potential downsides of rail trails and recreational trails in general, though this is typically framed constructively within planning contexts to mitigate risks rather than outright criticism.
For example: In their “Uh-oh! Trails Fails” article, they highlight common pitfalls like poor maintenance leading to unsafe or unusable trails, inadequate planning causing oversupply or lack of critical mass, and failures in governance that result in trails not benefiting anyone.
In a project on “concentric circles” for trail planning in Western Australia, they discuss challenges such as proximity issues, oversupply of similar trails nearby, and the need to avoid developments that don’t attract sufficient visitors or align with regional contexts, which could lead to wasted resources.
Broader trail webinars and reports touch on sustainability concerns (e.g., environmental impacts from overuse), community issues (e.g., landowner privacy or stock management), and economic risks (e.g., if visitor numbers fall short, maintenance costs burden local councils). These discussions are proactive, aimed at improving outcomes, rather than opposing trails outright.
Number of Rail Trails Advocated For
TRC has advocated for or contributed to the planning and development of numerous rail trails and recreational trail projects, though an exact count of pure “rail trails” isn’t publicly tallied (their total projects exceed 800, with trails as a significant subset). Based on documented work, they have been involved in at least 10–15 specific rail trail or cycle trail initiatives, often through feasibility studies or masterplans that support advocacy and funding. Notable examples include:
• Gippsland Trail (Victoria, Australia) – Feasibility study and business case.
• High Country Rail Trail (Victoria) – Masterplan.
• Atherton Tablelands Rail Trails (Queensland) – Feasibility study.
• Kentish Mountain Bike Trails (Tasmania) – Masterplan (includes rail elements).
• Great Ocean Road Regional Trails Strategy (Victoria) – Broader strategy encompassing rail trails.
• Glacier Country Cycle Trail (New Zealand) – Feasibility.
• Wellington Regional Trails Framework (New Zealand) – Multi-agency alignment for trails, including rail conversions.
• Brisbane Valley Rail Trail (Queensland) – Referenced in advocacy contexts. They’ve also supported broader strategies like Central West NSW Cycle Tourism Opportunities and Concentric Circles guidance for trails near Perth, which include rail trail components.
Location and Base
TRC is based in Australia and New Zealand, operating as an independent firm with a distributed team allowing remote work across regions. Key office locations include: Australia: Headquarters in Jindabyne, New South Wales (Suite 5, 3/4 Gippsland Street, PO Box 837); additional offices in Alice Springs, Northern Territory (4/44 Bath Street, NT House), and Canberra, Australian Capital Territory (2nd floor, 11 London Circuit).
New Zealand: Office in Wellington (noted as a primary base in some sources). Their global reach extends through associates, with projects in the Pacific, Asia, and beyond, but the core operations are Australasia-focused.
Hilltops Council via the information sessions has not made it clear that Council staff will be on hand or available to answer questions which may focus on the downside of the rail trail.
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