August 16, 2017
The South Burnett Regional Council will set up an advisory committee to oversee the operation and development of the South Burnett Rail Trail.
At its monthly meeting on Wednesday, Council officers reported that since the conclusion of the Rail Trail’s sealing on June 23 there had been an increasing level of community interest in it.
Officers recommended an advisory committee be established to consult and liaise with interested groups, then provide advice and recommendations about the Rail Trail to council.
Deputy Mayor Kathy Duff said she thought an internal committee was the best way forward, given the Rail Trail crossed several different portfolio areas.
“I’m keen on this,” Cr Duff said.
“The Rail Trail is a big thing for our communities, and it would be good to have a committee reporting back to Council on it.”
Mayor Keith Campbell agreed.
“The Rail Trail has certainly attracted a lot of interest since it opened,” the Mayor said.
“Recently I travelled its entire length, so I can honestly say I now know every inch of it. And I agree that it’s a big thing for the community.”
The motion was moved by Cr Danita Potter, seconded by Cr Gavin Jones, and passed unanimously.
Later, Cr Potter told southburnett.com.au the motion excluded the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail – part of which is also in the South Burnett – because its day-to-day operation is overseen by the Department of Transport and Main Roads.
“The BVRT already has Rail Trail Ambassadors and a management system in place that seems to work pretty well,” Cr Potter said.
“We need to put something similar in place for the South Burnett Rail Trail, and this is a step towards doing that.”
The new committee will be chaired by Cr Duff.
Other committee members will be Cr Ros Heit, Cr Roz Frohloff and Cr Danita Potter, and Council staff as required.
SBRC, with all of this love of the rail trail, let us know what you are doing to stop the coal mine coming because if it goes ahead the rail trail will be returned to a working rail line.
How can it be returned to a working rail line? ALL the infrastructure has been removed and would cost just too much to rebuild.
I could be wrong but it was my understanding that the mob proposing the new mine also had plans to set up a new rail transport along a different route than that of the old rail.
Our understanding is what Moreton has suggested – at least once – is a line sweeping out west of their proposed mine near Goodger surrounded by a buffer zone that would include a portion of the Kingaroy golf course. The line would swing back and join back up with the Kingaroy-Theebine rail corridor somewhere north of Kingaroy. Moreton told the ASX the transport route would be located “within a 2.5km buffer zone around the defunct rail line”. So perhaps their proposed route could run through adjacent farms etc and leave the rail trail within the buffer zone … most likely a very, very expensive option.