NEW ENGLAND RAIL

TRAIL
Proposal for the development of the New England Rail Trail, from Black
Mountain to Ben Lomond, via Guyra
New England Rail Trail Inc.

PRESERVATION | EDUCATION |
STIMULATION

Planning Document

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................... 2

BACKGROUND ................................................................................................................................................. 3
History ......................................................................................................................................................... 3
Condition of the Line Infrastructure ........................................................................................................... 3
Current Uses of the Line & Assets............................................................................................................... 3
New England Rail Trail Inc. .......................................................................................................................... 4
Alignment with NSW 2021 Plan .................................................................................................................. 5

BENEFITS ......................................................................................................................................................... 6
Community health and wellbeing ............................................................................................................... 6
Economic ..................................................................................................................................................... 6
Tourism ....................................................................................................................................................... 7
Attractions............................................................................................................................................... 7
Events ...................................................................................................................................................... 7
Environmental ............................................................................................................................................. 8
Cultural / Heritage ...................................................................................................................................... 8

ISSUES ............................................................................................................................................................. 9

VIABILITY ....................................................................................................................................................... 10
Project Establishment ............................................................................................................................... 10
Ongoing Maintenance............................................................................................................................... 10

SUSTAINABILITY ............................................................................................................................................ 11

VISION ........................................................................................................................................................... 12
Extension of Rail Trail ................................................................................................................................ 12
Future Management ................................................................................................................................. 12

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INTRODUCTION
The New England Rail Trail Inc. (NERT Inc.) was established to develop the proposed New England Rail
Trail (the Trail). The proposed trail will run between Black Mountain, through Guyra, to Ben Lomond in
the Northern Tablelands region of New South Wales. 34 kilometres in total, with Guyra being the tourism
focal point and the management hub for the trail.

THE PROPOSAL
That the rail corridor between Black Mountain Railway Station and Ben Lomond Railway Station, a total of 34km,
be leased to New England Rail Trail Incorporated for the purposes of utilising the existing rail corridor for
recreation, including cycling, walking, and horse riding.
That the current rail infrastructure, including lines and sleepers, be gifted to New England Rail Trail Inc. parts of
this infrastructure that are not essential railway heritage will be removed from the site and sold to, in part, fund
the cost of works required to develop a suitable rail trail.
That a 2.8 - 3 metre gravel trail be installed along the existing rail corridor and maintained through funds sourced
by New England Rail Trail Inc.
The proposed New England Rail Trail is a combined two way cycle, walking and potentially, a horse riding
trail developed on the Great Northern Railway corridor, initially between Black Mountain and Ben
Lomond, with possible future extensions to Wallangarra and Armidale. The Trail is to be developed in full
consultation with all stakeholders.
Rail trails are proven shared multiple-use pathways that connect communities, and benefit the users and
entire regions. They encourage recreational use at all fitness levels and stimulate local economies
because the original permanent way is retained, rail trails do not impede future return to rail transport
and allow local users, other regions and countries to learn about our rail, rural and towns history.
Rail trails have been developed extensively in America, Europe,
New Zealand and other states of Australia, and are growing in
popularity. Studies have indicated significant economic, health
and social benefits to communities where rail trails have been
developed.
The initial section of rail trail is relatively short (34km) and is
contained within a single Local Government Area. A rail trail of
this length is matched to the capacity of the Guyra community to
develop and manage it. Following Victorian examples, this will
allow the community to embrace and absorb the project. This
section is also ideal for a pilot project due to the climate,
scenery, location, major stakeholder support, and the unique
tourism opportunities for the New England/Northern Tablelands
region.
This pilot project has the potential to be extended to provide a
unique experience and significant benefits to the entire New
England High Country region. Following the success of this pilot
project, it is envisioned that the trail will be extended to run
from Armidale to Wallangarra. This would allow tourists to travel
by plane or train to Armidale, then spend a considerable amount
of time in our region, exploring the natural beauty, historical
significance, and unique experiences; riding through to Wallangarra and the Granite Belt.
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BACKGROUND
History
The line between Black Mountain,
Guyra, Llangothlin and Ben Lomond
was opened on 18 August, 1884 and
after nearly 105 years of service the
Guyra station closed on 4 March,
19891. The year 2014 marks 130
years of its opening from Armidale
to Glen Innes. The line was, and still
is, the highest part of the rail
network in Australia.
The rail trail project will incorporate
information about the historical
significance of the Great Northern
Railway and educate children and
visitors about the role this infrastructure played in our community.

Condition of the Line Infrastructure

The operational condition of the line requires extensive work with the replacement of all sleepers.
The combination of 80lb, 93lb and 104lb line is in reasonable condition. This information was
supplied by Guyra and District Historical Society and Machinery Group (GDHSMG) and past railway
employees in the area.
The line follows close to the Great Dividing Range and has no creeks or streams bisecting the line.

Current Uses of the Line & Assets

The rail corridor has existing grazing agreements with adjacent landholders, with a small section
between Guyra Station and north of Rotary Park being leased by the GDHSMG providing tourism
rides and local council with services and leases. The Black Mountain Preservation Society Inc. leases
the Black Mountain Railway Station and the Station Masters residence. The Society maintains these
heritage listed buildings and the surrounding grounds. Guyra Shire Council leases the Ben Lomond
Railway Station with Ben Lomond Landcare managing and maintaining the area and buildings. Some
areas of the corridor are completely disused.
Despite the desire in some sections of the community for the return of rail passenger and freight
services, this is unlikely to occur:
Planning is well advanced on an inland freight route that bypasses New England. With the closure of
rail services in 1989, this leaves the New England rail corridor as redundant transport infrastructure
with no possibility of future use for transport.

Hill, Nola (1989), Guyra and the Railway, in The Guyra and District Historical Society Journal No 2, The Guyra
and District Historical Society, Guyra NSW.

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New England Rail Trail Inc.

New England Rail Trail Inc. (NERT Inc.) is a community group with members from the Guyra district.
The group is currently becoming incorporated. This community group was developed in April 2014
and key drivers for the group are local representatives from each area involved in the project.
The objectives of New England Rail Trail Inc. are:

To facilitate and oversee the development of the New England Rail Trail, with consequent
health benefits for the local community, tourism contributions to the local economy and
preservation of the railway heritage of the region;
To consult with all stakeholders and build community support for the Rail Trail;
To promote local business ventures based on the Rail Trail;
To promote educational and historical resources located along the Trail;
To facilitate and coordinate the land and environmental management on the rail corridor;
To ensure the rail corridor is preserved as a public asset and utilised by the community; and
To provide ongoing maintenance and development of the rail corridor.

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Alignment with NSW 2021 Plan

This concept aligns with the NSW Governments 2021 Plan by addressing the following goals:

GOAL 3 Drive Economic Growth in Regional NSW

This trail will provide an opportunity for significant growth in Regional NSW, particularly if expanded
to encompass the whole New England region.

Goal 11 Keep people healthy and out of hospital

Walking and cycling are passive activities that improve peoples general health and wellbeing.
Regular physical activity reduces the risk of serious illness, reducing hospital admittance significantly.

Goal 22 Protect our natural environment

The project will provide opportunities for groups and people to be engaged in the ongoing
protection of our natural environment through education, appreciation, and enhancement activities.

Goal 23 Increase opportunities for people to look after their own neighbourhoods
and environment
Local groups and organisations will develop partnerships to engage the community in environmental
sustainability projects along the rail corridor.

Goal 24 Make it easier for people to be involved in their communities

This is a 100% community driven project.

Goal 27 Enhance cultural, creative, sporting, and recreation opportunities

The rail trail will provide opportunities for people to participate in recreation which may be
otherwise unavailable or unattainable due to perceived safety issues with walking and cycling on
roads. The trail links aspects of cultural significance and aims to highlight the historical uses of the
rail. The trail will also link key sporting facilities within the area, allowing people safe passage to
sporting events.

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BENEFITS
Community health and wellbeing
Participation in physical activity has been rapidly increasing in the Guyra Shire on the back of the
Australian Federal Government funded Healthy Highlanders program. The Guyra Community Fitness
trail has received significant usage from the community
since its installation in April 2013. In recent years
Primary reasons for not
participation in recreational transport has risen
significantly, particularly participation in cycling for
participating in
leisure and fitness.
The provision of a rail trail, 34km in length, will provide a
safe and reliable place for residents and visitors to
engage in cycling, walking and general passive
recreational activities.

cycling are safety

concerns and lack of
adequate paths/lanes

Respondents to a survey conducted by Guyra Shire Council in 2013 indicated that their primary
reasons for not participating in cycling are safety concerns and lack of adequate paths/lanes. The
proposed rail trail will significantly reduce these concerns. An exclusively recreational track that is
not shared with motorists, allows participation in these activities in a safer environment.
Cycling has recently seen increased participation, which provides positive outcomes for the
communities that embrace this lifestyle. Results from 116 touring cyclists in a 2013 online survey
showed2:

92% were over 40 years old

38% spent over $100 per day while cycle touring
54% rode for 10 days or more when cycle touring
53% had ridden the Victorian Murray to the mountains rail trail
69% had ridden on overseas rail trails (EG: The Otago rail trail, NZ)

Economic
Guyra Shire population (4,645 people), has recently been boosted by a surge in housing
development and had the best growth rate of the region with a 6.8% increase over the last five
years. Projects such as the rail trail will provide links to this expanding community and the outlying
villages, while also offering more to people looking at making a move to the country.
The initial construction of the rail trail will utilise existing resources and businesses in the local area
to undertake works. This will boost the local economy and potentially provide employment for local
contractors.
Research has identified that rail trails such as this can increase the local economy by $121 per
overnight stay and daily visitors spending $51. The number of daily visitors in the initial opening
phase is not known at this stage; however initial estimates from other States and countries have
always been greatly exceeded. The extension of the Trail to Wallangarra, Armidale will allow the
Trail to reach a much wider segment of the tourism market, with a concomitant substantial increase
in the number of Trail users.

Rail Trails 4 NSW (2014), retrieved from http://www.railtrailsnsw.com.au/

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Existing businesses which will gain from the Rail Trail:

Accommodation businesses recreation and bowling club, hotels, motels, farm stays, bed
and breakfasts, and highest caravan park in Australia.
Guyra has a number of unique speciality stores
Coffee shops, cafes and restaurants
Potential new businesses and services:
Localised coffee shops at each station
Rail memorabilia museums or gift shops
Bicycle services, sales, rentals, repairs, equipment
Tourism operators
Increased accommodation outlets farm stays, cabins, motels, etc

Tourism
The New England Rail Trail has the potential to significantly increase tourism in the Guyra Shire and
the wider New England Region, especially if the trail is eventually extended through adjoining shires.
Riding the Rail Trail would appeal to everyone from bike enthusiasts to families. An indication of the
magnitude of this increase is given by the experience of the rail trails of north eastern Victoria, which
attract some 40,000 visitors every year3.
The Guyra Shire is ideally located midway between Sydney and Brisbane on the Northern Tablelands
and only two hours west of Coffs Harbour. Accessibility could be further enhanced by working with
State Rail to encourage cyclists to travel by train from Sydney with the possibility of having a cyclist
rail car fitted out with bike storage. The trail provides the perfect opportunity for people to escape
the summer heat and enjoy the high country environment and scenery.

Attractions
Riding the Rail Trail would be the main attraction with the following also of interest to tourists:

Highest above sea level, at Ben Lomond, 1448 metres

Deepest hand cutting by manual labour, located on the northern line at Ben Lomond
Historic agricultural stations, and picturesque high country grazing landscapes
Thunderbolt's Cave
Mother of Ducks Lagoon, a NPWS site
Little Llangothlin Reserve, a Ramsar Wetland
Well preserved historical railway stations, a local historical museum, and a railway museum
History of the railway, and the local region, both indigenous and non-indigenous, displayed
and explained along the trail
Specialist interests such as bird watching, fossicking and farm stays
Side trips to mountain bike trails, such as those on the Travelling Stock Reserve at the Devils
Pinch (3km east of Black Mountain)

Events

Rotary Christmas Street Parade

Lamb and Potato Festival 2 weeks on the New England Highway
Westpac Rescue Helicopter Bike Challenge
Tour de Rocks attracting 500 riders annually
Guyra Show
Guyra Campdraft

Rail Trails 4 NSW (2014), retrieved from http://www.railtrailsnsw.com.au/

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Environmental
There are areas of environmental significance close to the rail corridor, including Mother of Ducks
Lagoon which is managed by NSW Parks and Wildlife. Increased uptake of cycling and walking on the
Rail Trail adjacent to the Lagoon will contribute to local environmental awareness. Further from the
corridor, but within cycling distance, is the Little Llangothlin Reserve, a RAMSAR wetland of
international significance and suspected breeding site for the nationally endangered Australasian
Bittern.
Preliminary discussions with Southern New England Land Care indicate that this organisation will be
able to contribute expertise and facilitate community consultation for the management of native
flora and fauna in the rail corridor.

Cultural / Heritage
It is essential to leave short sections rails in place in a number of locations, so that activities such as
display and/or operation of vintage railway machinery and rail biking can be carried out. The
retention of rails in the general precinct of the railway stations is essential to preserve the historical
character of these areas.
A number of community groups have leases or tenancy agreements with the State Rail Authority for
their use of railway buildings. Once again, the continuation of these leases is essential to the success
of the rail trail. The efforts of these groups have been extremely important in maintaining the
railway heritage along the line, and it is this railway heritage that will be one of the main attractions
for people using the rail trail.
Experience elsewhere with rail trails shows that they are a great opportunity to inform a much wider
audience about the history of the rail corridor. Interpretive signs can be placed at significant places
on the line, telling about the events that happened there (such as in July 1928 when the Brisbane
Express carrying the NZ All Blacks derailed just south of Black Mountain Station). The railway
stations are ideal places for more information boards and displays about the history of the line and
the locality.

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ISSUES
Level road crossings fall into local council jurisdiction at this stage safety standards need to be
addressed to incorporate a NSW standard and/or adopt a similar standard from other states. We
envisage safety barriers/turnstiles at both sides of a level crossing with appropriate safety signage
ensuring a safe crossing; there are 8 of these crossings to
consider. The Roads and Maritime Services have offered
Existing lease holders
advice and assistance in this area.
Existing lease holders have been identified and are
considered to be important partners for NERT Inc. For
example, the Guyra and District Historical Society
Machinery Group, for rail historical and tourism support;
local graziers for their continued support for corridor
maintenance/wellbeing, and to also reduce fire hazards,
weeds, and pests as per their current leasing arrangements.

have been identified

and are considered to
be important partners
for NERT Inc.

It is proposed that coexistence agreements be made with existing leaseholders to ensure all needs
are met and that the trail is maintained appropriately.
NERT Inc. will have the appropriate Public Liability insurance. Work Health and Safety guidelines will
be adhered to, should we be given the opportunity to pursue this matter further we will engage
Workcover or other certified body to assist in understanding our requirements.

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VIABILITY
Project Establishment
A full feasibility study will be undertaken should the proposal be considered. This feasibility study
will analyse the cost / benefit relationship of removal of the line, identify areas of the existing line
that should be retained, and investigate sources of income and projected expenditure for the
project.
Prior to this full feasibility study, NERT Inc., have received Initial quotes which indicated a cost of
$34,937.50/km for the establishment of the rail trail.

Ongoing Maintenance
This can be funded through income generation activities such as:

Signage The rail trail provides a unique advertising opportunity for local, regional, and
national businesses with potential for advertising signs being installed along the route.
Advertisements could attract an annual fee of approximately $500/sign (plus installation
costs incurred by the business); with approximately 34 advertisement signs along the 34km
route this equates to annual revenue of $17,000.
Website / Brochure Sponsors businesses and individuals could sponsor the rail trail and
have their logo displayed in promotional material for the rail trail.
Tax deductable donations to non profit organisation New England Rail Trail, the intention
is to register the NERT Inc. as a tax deductible organisation for donations to be acceptable
and legal.
In-kind contributions weed and pest management can be provided through mutually
beneficial grazing agreements

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SUSTAINABILITY
Southern New England Landcare are a proven leader within the region, connecting and empowering
community to own and adopt change to improve natural resource management and sustainable
agriculture. They have identified areas where their organisation is willing and able to provide
support to the NERT such as:

Group administration, business and governance matters

Facilitation for action planning and review
Developing local partnerships
Weed and pest animal control
Environmental survey, assessment, remediation, and monitoring (including issues related to
native vegetation, soil erosion, managed grazing systems, water quality, and property
management)

A cooperative arrangement between the New England Rail Trail Inc. and Southern New England
Landcare will provide positive outcomes for the sustainability of the rail corridor, and also the
sustainability of these organisations in our community.

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VISION
Extension of Rail
Trail
In order to obtain the
critical mass which a rail
trail requires to
economically sustain the
communities and
corridors, the rail trail
will potentially run from
Armidale to Wallangarra.
We see the rail head
starting from Armidale
Airport, down to
Armidale Railway Station,
via the University of New
England. The trail will
then extend through the
entire New England High
Country, and finish at
Wallangarra on the
Queensland border. At
Wallangarra the trail will
meet with the Southern
Downs Steam Railway,
which operates a tourism
steam train.

Future
Management
Considerable thought has
been given to managing
the corridor, or crown
land, by working in a
close partnership with
Southern New England
Landcare.

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