Wet Soil Delays Rail Trail

20160601 Rail Trail — SBRC workers were busy installing safety gates at Memerambi in early June after a section of the Rail Trail had been sealed; wet weather over the past two months has delayed further sealing work

August 10, 2016

Plans to open the South Burnett Rail Trail between Murgon and Kingaroy on the October long weekend have been frustrated by the weather.

The South Burnett Regional Council announced on Wednesday that soil moisture along the trail is taking too long to dry out because of winter weather conditions.

This has pushed the project behind schedule, and it now seems unlikely the corridor will be finished by October 2 as originally hoped.

Natural Resources portfolio chair Cr Kathy Duff said she was disappointed by the decision, which came about after an onsite inspection of the rail corridor by Council staff on Tuesday.

She said she’d been advised contractors needed to allow the soil to dry out properly in order to put a bitumen seal on the trail.

“We’ve had a bit of a wet and cold winter this year, and that is keeping the soil moist.”

Cr Duff said the next best estimate for the trail’s opening was likely to be November, which would coincide with opening of the Gympie Rail Trail between Murgon and Kilkivan.

Cr Duff currently heads a community committee which is planning opening day celebrations for the South Burnett Rail Trail.

The group will continue making plans for the opening, but will now reschedule when the celebrations will be held once a firm opening date has been established.

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