A number of rail trails across Victoria will see improvements and extra funding commitments this month.
Rail Trails Australia have reported on a number of exciting facelifts for the state’s trails.
The Great Southern Rail Trail, which runs between Nyora and Port Welshpool in South Gippsland, will receive $6 million in funding to develop key railway station precincts at Korumburra and Leongatha.
The station upgrades will include tree planting, public amenities and new playground equipment. You can view the plans on the South Gippsland council website.
In other news, the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions will be pumping some funds into the Murray to Mountains Rail Trail, revealed in Victorian Budget announcements this week. The popular trail was earmarked as a key Regional Tourism Infrastructure Project, and the funds will see important upgrades on the trail to promote tourist growth.
Nearby in the region, the High Country Rail Trail, which currently runs between Wodonga and Shelley in NE Victoria, will see a number of important upgrades that will enhance the riding experience.
A number of roads will be sealed in Ebden, a boardwalk will be constructed at Koetong, and a new bridge will be built across Tallangatta Creek in Bullioh.
The next step for the High Country Trail is a link between Yackandandah and Huon Valleys, which would connect it with the Murray to Mountains Trail to the south. Together, the rail trail network would provide a whopping 225 km of rideable track.
If you would like to see some federal support for building this link, we encourage you to get in touch with running candidates in the Indi electorate.
These improvements are essential for boosting bike tourism In Victoria. As well as getting people out on bikes having fun, they are also a win for local economies, regional heritage, and sustainable holidaymaking.
Rail trails are an essential component of Victoria’s tourism portfolio. In our Victoria Budget Submission 22/23, Bicycle Network asked the Victorian Government to fund extensions of the O’Keefe and Yarra Valley Rail Trails, and to fund a Woodend-Daylesford Rail Trail.
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