Meeting Delivers Rail Trail Answers

20150913-wondai1 — Natural Resources and Parks manager Greg Griffiths and Cr Kathy Duff after Monday’s public Rail Trail meeting in Wondai where they answered questions from the floor about the project

September 13, 2015

The first tenders for construction of the Kingaroy-Murgon Rail Trail should be called in November, people attending a public meeting in Wondai heard on Monday afternoon.

And the full 42km trail could be open as early as next September if there are no unexpected delays.

The meeting, the first in a series the South Burnett Regional Council has called in Kingaroy, Wondai and Murgon to update interested residents about the project, was held at the Wondai Regional Art Gallery.

The meeting was led by Natural Resources portfolio leader Cr Kathy Duff and NRM Manager Greg Griffiths who explained where the project was currently at, then took questions from the floor on any issues the meeting wanted to raise.

In response to questions, attendees heard:

The $1.4 million project will be built strictly to budget using money provided by the State Government; and the extent of “add-ons” such as public toilets, bridges and other amenities will depend on what is left in the budget after the basic trail has been built

The trail will be sealed with a low-cost mix of locally mined gravel and “fines” that will produce a stable surface suitable for walking, running and cycling

The sealing of the trail is the project’s major cost component, and opening the trail from Kingaroy to Murgon will be the project’s first priority

Once opened, the focus will then shift to looking at how the basic facility can be improved and upgraded

In response to the concerns of some local cattle producers, horses will not be permitted on the Kingaroy-Wondai section of the trail in order to help prevent the spread of ticks; but the Murgon-Kilkivan section, most of which will be built by the Gympie Regional Council, will allow horses because it is located entirely in the State’s “ticky” zone

The Council intends to erect minimal fencing along the trail; landholders with unfenced property on the route who want to secure it will need to erect their own fencing

To improve safety for trail users, zig-zag chicanes will be built to deliberately slow pedestrians and cyclists where the trail crosses major roads; but minor crossings with little traffic will simply be signposted

While Council has yet to obtain a quote, it believes existing insurance premiums are unlikely to increase once the Trail is operational

The trail’s annual maintenance costs will be offset by commercial leases to existing businesses who require room along the trail corridor for their own expansion

The Council will seek Federal and State grants to improve the Trail’s facilities in future if the project merits it. It has already lodged an application under a current grants program for possible refinements of the Rail Trail where it passes towns and villages along the route, however, the outcome of this particular application has yet to be determined and will have no effect on the basic project

Users of the trail will be able to return to their starting point by using Purser’s daily coach services if they have no other transport option

While some sections of the trail will not be entirely flat, they shouldn’t pose any significant issues for walkers, runners or cyclists

Any motorcyclists who use the trail can expect a visit from the police through a system that has already stopped motorcyclists on the Blackbutt-Linville Rail Trail

Contractors who have successfully tendered for the work will be used to undertake most of the project, along with local Work For The Dole crews where parts of the project can make use of their services. Council officers will supervise the work of both groups to ensure it is carried out to appropriate standards

Wondai’s former railway station and a section of railway tracks nearby may be able to be converted into a tourist attraction in future that will complement both the Rail Trail and the town’s Village Green. Interstate experience was that a certain proportion of rail trail users were attracted to historical railway features, however, any future use would need to be undertaken in a way that did not have any negative impact on existing Wondai businesses.

The meeting heard the Kingaroy-Murgon Rail Trail could bring many economic benefits to businesses along the route – particularly bed-and-breakfasts, hotels, bakeries and cafes – and also encourage new businesses to set up in the region.

This was the experience of other rail trails, and also the experience of the Blackbutt-Linville Rail Trail.

Three new cafes had opened in Moore in the last few years; the Blackbutt Hotel was now booked out on many weekends; and Blackbutt’s bakery and other eateries were “doing well” from rail trail traffic, too.

The trail could also encourage sporting events like marathons and competitive cycling events to come to the region, such as the Blackbutt-Linville R&R Duathlon which will be holding its second outing on the October long weekend.

Some existing athletic events which used the region’s roads had already expressed interest in relocating to the trail once it was built because of the extra safety benefits it offered.

However, interstate experience was these things wouldn’t occur overnight. Instead, they would gradually accumulate over time after the facility opened and word about it spread.

The meeting was told the Blackbutt-Linville Rail Trail now hosts an average of 34 users per day; and in response to a question about whether locals would use it, Mr Griffiths said his house in Murgon was immediately next to the rail corridor, so he knew between 10 and 15 people in Murgon were already using it for their own daily exercise regimens.

Cr Duff told the meeting most of the feedback she had received about the project was that the majority of residents were excited by it and wanted to see the Rail Trail “up and running”.

Former Wondai Shire Mayor Percy Iszlaub said he was certain the different landscape the Kingaroy-Murgon Rail Trail would pass through would make it a perfect complement to the Blackbutt-Linville Rail Trail.

“We’re already starting to see benefits from our free overnight van park, even though we still need to do more work on it,” he said.

“I think the Rail Trail will bring even more benefits to our area.”

Footnote: A follow-up meeting planned for Wooroolin’s Grand Hotel at 5:30pm was cancelled on Monday. Instead, the Council will engage one-on-one with key businesses in the Wooroolin area in the near future.