The Northern Rivers Rail Trail is a multi-use rail trail in Northern Rivers region of New South Wales which is a walking and cycling trail.[1] It runs through the Tweed and Richmond River Shires and, as at June 2024, is undergoing further extension into areas of Byron Bay and Lismore.[2] When completed, the trail will be 132 km long and it follows the Murwillumbah railway line which ceased train services in May 2004.[3][4]
Track details
editSection 1: The Tweed section
editThis section opened in 2023 and is 23 km long and passes through the following towns and villages:[2][3]
- Murwillumbah; where it starts at and incorporates the heritage listed Murwillumbah railway station.
- Dunbible
- Stokers Siding
- Burringbar
- Mooball
- Crabbes Creek
This section uses 18 railway bridges and passes through 2 railway tunnels; these are the Burringbar Range Tunnel and the Hulls Road Tunnel. These tunnels are a habitat for microbat and glowworms and are kept dark so as not to disturb them; visitors are asked to bring torches and dismount when passing through these tunnels.[5][6][7]
Views of Mount Warning (Wollumbin) can be seen along long stretches of this track.[3]
Section 2: The Casino and Bentley section
editThis section opened in March 2024 and is 13.4 km long and it passes through:[8][9]
- Casino; where it starts at the Old Casino railway station.
- Bentley; where it ends at the historic Bentley Bridge.
Section 3: Lismore
editThis section will run from Eltham to Bentley and is due to open in late 2024; it will be 31.8 km long.[9][10]
Section 4: Byron
editThis section will run from Yelgun to Eltham and is currently in the planning and approval stage; it will be 62.8 km long.[9][11]
References
edit- ^ "Fact sheet: Northern Rivers Rail Trail" (PDF). Northern Rivers Rail Trail. 1 January 2023.
- ^ a b "Northern Rivers Rail Trail | The must-do experience in the region". Northern Rivers Rail Trail. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
- ^ a b c "Northern Rivers Rail Trail". www.tweed.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
- ^ "Closure of Casino to Murwillumbah Rail Services". www.parliament.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
- ^ "Bridges and tunnels". Northern Rivers Rail Trail. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
- ^ "Top tips for exploring the new Rail Trail". www.tweed.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
- ^ "Burringbar Range Tunnel". www.nswrail.net. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
- ^ "Northern Rivers Rail Trail – Rail Trails Australia". 23 April 2024. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
- ^ a b c "Project and construction". Northern Rivers Rail Trail. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
- ^ "Northern Rivers Rail Trail – Lismore to Bentley section". Your Say Lismore. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
- ^ "Northern Rivers Rail Trail - Byron Shire". www.byron.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 25 June 2024.