North East Rail Trail

22/04/2023

Hopefully Dorset Council will tomorrow give an update on extending the North East Rail Trail. The rail trail is listed in the council's capital works program as `awaiting approvals' The council has planning approval to build the14km Wyena-Scottsdale section. The 14km Wyena-Lillydale Falls also has planning approval, but faces a planning appeal. Dorset also has about $1.5 million in federal funding for construction work. So it would be great to tomorrow get an update from the council on when work will start om the Wyena-Scottsdale section. And what is happening with the appeal? The 28km Scottsdale-Billycock Hill trail has been open for years.

19/03/2023

Behold Denison Gorge, near Lebrina and hopefully soon part of the North East Rail Trail. There is a steep drop from here to the gorge floor and the flowing water. It is really wild. The former rail track is massively degraded. All sleepers are split and rotten, the ballast has moved so is missing in parts and built up in others and the rails are burnt and cracked from bushfires and out of alignment.

19/03/2023

A hidden tunnel in a wild setting complete with historical artefacts will soon be part of the North East Rail Trail.
Denison Gorge is maybe a 2km walk along the former North East railway public land corridor from Lebrina.
As the crow flies the gorge is close to the main road but the corridor snakes around the undulating terrain, making the walk longer.
And it is really wild - in parts the corridor is blocked by scrub over your head and heavily-timbered slopes drop off steeply from both sides down to the flowing water below.
But amazingly almost 150 years ago the spot drew tourists who came to enjoy the natural beauty and there were several buildings, walking tracks and rail infrastructure.
It is almost all gone now. But hidden is an ornate drainage tunnel with an inscription marking Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee in 1887.
Drop down the steep slope at a creek and there it is. It is maybe a 20m splash to walk through the tunnel under the embankment.
And all around are tall trees and the occasional sound and sight of flowing creeks. It is a great spot.
Launceston Council last month voted to include the 14km of public land from Lilydale Falls to Wyena (including Denison Gorge) in the rail trail.
Councillors Gibson, Razay, McKenzie, Dawkins, Palmer, McMahon and Harris said yes to the plan. So vote for them!
The fully funded project is being built and managed by Dorset Council and will offer 80km of walking and cycling from Lilydale, through Scottsdale, to Billycock Hill, near Ledgerwood.
Dorset has really pushed this project but the much bigger Launceston has done very little. Time to get on board.

05/03/2023

Ornate stonework on the tunnel entrance.

05/03/2023

The tunnel just included in the North East Rail Trail near Lebrina has some great features. There is a contruction date up top and ornate stonework around the entrances. And there is even a freshwater spring gushing from the wall in the middle of the tunnel. (This is a feature added by Mother Nature).

04/03/2023

A SUPERCOOL tunnel is now an added attraction for the North East Rail Trail, thanks to Launceston Council.
Councillors on February 23 voted to add the Lilydaler Falls to Wyena section of the North East public land corridor (former railway) to the already impressive rail trail.
The 14km addition to the trail includers a 750m tunnel and the impressive Denison Gorge.
Proposed by Dorset Council and backed by major Federal Gvernment funding, this will give everyone about 80km of trail when completed.
Launceston Council on February 23 considered a planning proposal from Dorset Council to change the land use to allow the corridor to become a rail trail.
Regular passenger trains ended on the corridor almost 50 years and it has degraded to a weed-infested white elephant.
Thanks to the following Launceston councillors who voted for the proposal: Mayor Danny Gibson, George Razay, Hugh McKenzie, Andrea Dawkins, Andrew Palmer, Lindi McMahon and Alan Harris. Coucillors who voted against the agenda item were: Deputy Mayor Matthew Garwood, Joe Pentridge, Tim Walker and Susie Cai. Councillor Alex Britton was an apology.
Cr Alan Harris proposed the successful motion, seconded by Cr Hugh McKenzie.
There are more hurdles but Dorset has now gone a long way to being able to build 50km of trail from Lilydale Falls to Wyena and on to Scottsdale, to join with the existing rail trail from Scottsdale almost to Ledgerwood.
The State Government has earlier suggested building a walk-ride trail to connect the falls to Lilydale.
The timeline for all this work is unknown but hopefully Dorset will now give some clarity.

04/02/2022

Still moving ahead and hoping for good news early in 2022. Dorset Council is making progress with its Wyena-Scottsdale rail trail plan. Legal and administrative hurdles to building the trail are slowly but surely being overcome. We look forward to the day when Dorset can start building the cycle and walking track, using the already-approved Federal Government grant. So keep the faith!

08/12/2021

Great news - the rail trail has passed another major planning milestone. But there is good and bad. The Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal recently upheld Dorset Council's Scottsdale to Wyena 26km rail trail plan. But the 20-page decision left the council and appellant to sort out some matters. Dorset approved the project on February 15 but 10 months later the tribunal process is still unfinished.

07/09/2021

``I see the rail trail as a no-brainer ... the opportunity is there, the community should be grabbing it with both hands.'' A Kiwi farmer says he was initially hesitant about an NZ rail trail, until it revived his community. We need to heed his advice and bring the same magic to the North East. Let's do this!!!

Armidale local and CEO of Fleet Helicopters Mike Watson discusses the NERT and his experiences with the Otago Rail Trail which ran right through his family's...

01/09/2021

We are still on track (pun intended) for the rail trail opening. A legal matter involving the rail trail development application approval is slowly moving ahead. So every day gets us just a little closer to building and opening the trail extension from Scottsdale. And you can do your bit - back the project in your mind and tell your friends! With your support we can build something great!

17/08/2021

This promotional video showcases just a small selection of attractions and businesses accessible by the proposed North East Recreation Trail in northern Tasm...

17/08/2021

Rail trails are popular all over the world, soon it will be our turn to enjoy this success when the North East Recreation Trail is built!

Brisbane Valley Rail Trail’s Popularity Continues to Grow