NORTHERN RIVERS RAIL TRAIL

The Tweed Section, Murwillumbah

This stage connects Murwillumbah with the villages of Stokers Siding, Burringbar, Mooball and Crabbes Creek. The sections between

From the Tweed to the Richmond Valley, discover a new way to –walk, ride and explore – the natural beauty of the Northern Rivers.

WHAT IS THE northern rivers RAIL TRAIL?

It will also provide a major boost for tourism in the region, creating jobs and offering exciting new business opportunities from coffee vans, food trucks and paddockto-plate experiences to horse riding, brewery tours and arts and craft stalls.

For locals and visitors alike, the rail trail will be a fresh way to connect with nature and explore the breathtaking beauty of the Northern Rivers, by bicycle or on foot.

About the rail trail

The trail will be

Coming soon!

Casino, Bentley and South Lismore are fully funded and work is expected to be completed in December 2023. The fnal stage links Lismore to Eltham, Bangalow, Byron Bay, Mullumbimby and Yelgun.

The much-anticipated Tweed section of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail is now offcially open, with everyone from walkers to runners, cyclists and people of all abilities set to explore the beautiful region.

The 24 km Tweed section of the Rail Trail was offcially opened in a ceremony at the heritage-listed Murwillumbah Railway Station today, with NSW Deputy Premier Paul Toole, Lismore MP Janelle Saffn, Tweed MP Geoff Provest, Mayor of Tweed Shire Chris Cherry and Northern Rivers Rail Trail Inc. President Pat Grier AM doing the honours.

The opening comes a day after the region marked the one-year anniversary of the food, heralding a positive new beginning and recovery for the Tweed Valley and wider Northern Rivers region.

Lismore MP Janelle Saffn, who represented Federal Member for Richmond Justine Elliot at the ceremony, said the Northern Rivers Rail Trail would eventually run from Murwillumbah to Casino through the spectacular scenery of the Tweed Valley, Byron Shire, Lismore and Richmond Valley.

“The Australian Government’s $6.5-million contribution to this frst stage is under the Building our Future Fund and is a strong show of faith in our region which has been through so many challenges in recent years – drought, bushfres, the Covid pandemic and the foods a year ago,” Ms Saffn said.

“Like other successful rail trails in Australia and internationally, it will attract more visitors wishing to slow down and soak up an ecotourism experience second to none. They are also likely to explore the many other attractions our region has to offer, boosting local and regional economies.”

NSW Deputy Premier Paul Toole said the project would be an economic boon for the region.

“The project will drive thousands of visitors to the region each year and inject tourism dollars into local economies,” Mr Toole said. “We have created a world-class scenic trail for an estimated 82,000 visitors each year along a 24 km stretch of stunning hinterland.

Fun For All!

The rail trail is asphalt from the Murwillumbah Railway Station to the Tweed Regional Art Gallery & Margaret Olley Centre, and between Burringbar and Mooball stations. As it passes through the countryside, it will have a compacted gravel surface.

The rail trail will connect the villages with the larger hub of Murwillumbah, providing an alternate transport route for residents and visitors

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alike. When the entire Northern Rivers Rail Trail is complete, numerous rural centres will be connected to Murwillumbah, Byron Bay, Bangalow, Lismore and Casino.

The rail trail will be free to use and provide a safe environment for walkers, cyclists and people using mobility aides to explore the region.

The Tweed section will help preserve the area’s railway heritage, with the trail incorporating the heritage-listed Murwillumbah Railway Station, 18 railway bridges and passing through 2 railway tunnels.

Funding

Construction of the Tweed section has been jointly funded by the NSW and Australian governments:

• $7.8 million NSW Government (Regional Tourism Infrastructure Fund)

• $6.5 million Australian Government (Regional Jobs and Investment Packages Fund)

• + $600,000 NSW Government to cover the cost of operating and maintaining the section of rail trail for the frst 3 years.

You can read more about the project on the Your Say Tweed website.

The Northern Rivers Trail is a shared recreation and nature trail where users can walk, ride and explore at their own pace.

Please follow the safety tips and rules so that everyone has a safe and enjoyable experience.

To decide if the rail trail is suitable for your personal abilities, interests, and safety tips, explore rail trail users or view the rail trail map.

You are enjoying a shared nature trail, with adjoining farmland, which means being aware of and planning for potential risk including:

1. Natural environment (for example: fallen trees or trail debris)

2. Built environment (for example, electric fences on private property)

3. Wildlife and animals: (for example, snakes, insects, farm animals, horses, dogs)

4. Personal injury (for example, collision between trail users).

Allowed on the trail:

1. Bicycles and e-bicycles (up to 250w)

2. Accessibility devices, wheelchairs and mobility scooters

3. Push scooters on sealed sections only

4. Prams

5. Dogs on short leads – pick up after your dog

6. Horses with permit in designated areas

Not allowed on the trail:

1. E-scooters or petrolpowered bicycles

2. Motorcycles, trail bikes, quad bikes, cars or similar

3. All other motorised recreational vehicles

4. Horses without permit.

Rail trail safety tips ou can report a problem online or contact us with any other questions by going to our website www. northernriversrailtrail. com.au.

In an emergency call 000.

Location markers are placed every 1 km along the trail. They have unique codes to help emergency services or others locate you.

1. Pedestrians have right of way.

2. Keep left and pass with a gap – a metre matters.

3. Cyclists must use helmets, bells, safety gear and ride at safe speeds.

4. Leave no trace. Take rubbish with you and protect native plants and wildlife.

5. No smoking or e-cigarettes on the Trail.

6. No camping or fres on the Trail.

7. Do not feed the wildlife.

8. Do not enter private property.

Plan, pack and prepare checklist

To make your rail trail experience a great one, here is our ‘pack and prepare checklist’ that we recommend:

1. Tell someone where you are going and when you will be back.

2. Check the weather and trail notifcations before you head off.

3. Download the Emergency Plus app to your phone in case you need to call triple 000 and have no phone reception.

4. Have a hard copy of the rail trail map or download it.

5. Wear appropriate clothing and footwear for a nature trail.

6. Take plenty of water, food, or snacks.

7. Wear a hat and sunscreen. Don’t forget to save and protect your skin with these 5 sunsmart steps:

- Slip on a shirt

- Slop on sunscreen

- Slap on a hat

- Seek shade

- Slide on sunglasses

8. Have a torch or light, such as the fashlight on your phone. Especially for the Burringbar Range Tunnel as it is 500 m long with no lighting and very poor visibility.

9. Take a frst aid kit or snake bite kit.

10. If you are riding, pack a bike repair kit and pump.

11. If walking a dog, take a short leash and pet poo bags.

12. Consider if you need to take a small amount of cash for small business or farmgate stalls where EFTPOS may not be available.

Vision

To develop, promote and sponsor a world class Rail Trail for the beneft of the Northern Rivers community.

In May 2013, the not for proft community group, Northern Rivers Rail Trail Association Inc, was formed by local philanthropists known as the Sourdough Group, community volunteers, local government councillors and staff and leaders of the tourist industry.

The group came together with a common vision to preserve this very valuable community asset, the 130km of disused rail corridor between Murwillumbah and Casino and converting it to a modern cycle and walking trail through the region’s spectacular landscapes.

The Rail Trail will be for the local community to use for getting to school, work and sport, shopping and recreation and by visitors seeking either a new way to experience the region’s scenery, food and culture or a more adventurous experience.

We have over 3,000 subscribers and prior to the last Federal Election all House of Representative candidates supported the concept of a rail trail. All four councils (Tweed, Byron, Lismore and

Richmond Valley) along the proposed Northern Rivers Rail Trail area now support the project along with other surrounding local authorities Ballina and Kyogle.

This valuable community asset must not continue to go to waste.

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Whether you take the trail by foot or by bike, this project is taking tourism in the Tweed up a gear.”

Tweed MP Geoff Provest said the Rail Trail would be a game changer for tourism across the region.

“The Tweed stage will help drive growth for the regional NSW visitor economy and increase tourism numbers to the Northern Rivers, which is more important than ever,” Mr Provest said. “The Tweed Rail Trail is a great example of what the Restart NSW fund is designed to deliver, and I look forward to seeing the benefts it will produce for the region.”

Mayor of Tweed Shire Chris Cherry said she was confdent the Rail Trail would be warmly embraced by the local community, providing an exciting new corridor between villages.

“This is going to be such an incredible new asset for the community and will provide a safe new link between Murwillumbah and the villages of Stokers Siding, Burringbar, Mooball and Crabbes Creek,” Cr Cherry said. “This is going to be a frst-class attraction which not only connects us to our community and neighbours but to the wider world.

“I’m sure this new attraction will be enthusiastically embraced by the community and will give families a great way to connect with each other via a safe corridor which celebrates the incredible scenery of the Tweed Valley.”

Pat Grier AM, President of Northern Rivers Rail Trail Inc whose members originally broached the idea, raised money to develop business cases, and presented proposals to all levels of government, was excited to see it fnally come to life.

“The Tweed community and Tweed Shire Council must be commended for their vision in getting behind the Rail Trail and being able to see what this recreational asset will bring to the entire Shire community,” Mr Grier said.

“The opening of this section is a huge step forward in the fnal construction of a 132km Rail Trail that will meander through the whole of the Northern Rivers region – connecting the many communities along its way.”

Construction of the Tweed section of the Rail Trail has been jointly funded by the NSW and Australian Governments and includes $7.8 million from the NSW Government (Regional Tourism Infrastructure Fund), $6.5 million from the Australian Government and an additional $600,000 from the NSW Government to cover the cost of operations and maintenance for the frst three years.

Starting at the heritagelisted Murwillumbah Railway Station, the 24km Tweed section of the Rail Trail meanders gently southwards through the Tweed Valley, connecting the villages of the Tweed Valley through the rolling hills and spectacular scenery of the region. The path features 26 bridges and 2 tunnels, including the 500m Burringbar Range tunnel which features tiny microbats and glow worms. It is the frst completed stage of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail, which will eventually stretch 132 km to

Casino, traversing through Byron, Lismore and Richmond Valley.

Construction has begun on the Casino to Bentley section of the Rail Trail, which is on track to be completed by the end of December.

The opening follows the launch of the new Northern Rivers Rail Trail website, which provides comprehensive information allowing users to plan ahead of their visit.

A community celebration to mark the opening of the Rail Trail is planned for the weekend of Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 March, with a host of fun, family-friendly activities on offer.

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