Rail Trail History In The Making

October 3, 2017

History was made in the South Burnett on Sunday with the official opening of the South Burnett Rail Trail.

It’s been a long time in the making, and has had a few false starts along the way.

The Theebine-Kingaroy rail line was officially closed on Christmas Eve 2009 after being mothballed for some years.

Planning soon began to develop a recreational trail, but in 2011 the South Burnett Regional Council decided to hand the project back to the State Government.

In the dying days of the last Federal Labor Government, $550,000 was promised to Council to develop a trail and hopes were again raised; sadly, this money never eventuated.

But in July 2014, the dream began to turn into a reality when then-Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney signed over $2 million from the Royalties For Regions program to the South Burnett and Gympie councils to develop the trail from Kingaroy to Kilkivan.

The South Burnett section of this trail runs from Kingaroy to Murgon along the southernmost section of the former railway line.

The opening celebrations for this southern section drew large crowds of local residents and visitors on Sunday, eager to be part of history.

Celebrations were scheduled in each major town along the route.

First up was Kingaroy, where cyclists, runners and walkers gathered at Kingaroy’s former Railway Station building at 6:00am.

After the official ceremonies, they hit the track with the sound of an old steam train whistle ringing in their ears.

This brass whistle, now powered by compressed air, was made in the Ipswich Railway Workshops in 1925.

It stayed in service on Queensland steam trains until 1963, after which it was bought by Moore resident Bob Howe.

Several dozen cyclists – including three on penny farthings – and smaller groups of runners and walkers took up the challenge of travelling the 43.5km to Murgon.

Amongst the runners were members of the Kingaroy Nutters and Go Getta Girls running clubs who took turns at carrying a specially made wooden Rail Trail baton from Kingaroy to Murgon.

This baton – made by the South Burnett Woodcrafters – was handed to Mick Freeman, from the Kingaroy Nutters, by South Burnett Mayor Keith Campbell.

Water stations were set up along the way at Crawford, Memerambi, Wooroolin, Tingoora and Wondai.

Morning tea was available at Wooroolin and a lunch at Wondai.

Shuttle bus services, sponsored by Stanwell Corporation, allowed spectators to follow the action along the trail or participants to complete smaller sections.

In Murgon, a large community celebration featuring live music, market and food stalls, pig races, billy cart races and displays of fishing boats and historic wagons awaited the arrival of the Rail Trail baton.

Dignitaries attending these celebrations included Member For Callide Jeff Seeney, Member for Wide Bay Llew O’Brien, Cherbourg Mayor Arnold Murray, and the “fathers” of the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail, Reg McCallum and Kerry Mercer.

Another special guest was long distance runner Ron Grant, now 74, who set off along the trail before sunrise so he could claim to be the first person to walk it from end to end.

The Murgon celebrations began at 8:00am with the Cherbourg Warriors Fun Run, and continued all day on the land surrounding the Murgon Men’s Shed and the former Murgon Railway Station.

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About 1:00pm on Sunday, a weary but happy Ron Grant walked into Murgon an hour ahead of schedule to meet up with other officials who had climbed aboard two restored horse-drawn wagons near Schultz Crossing.

At 2:00pm, the official party then paraded to a stage set up next to the former railway station, preceded by six members from the 5th Light Horse Regiment’s Gympie troop.

The official part of the day’s proceedings opened with a performance by the Wakka Gubbi dancers, a Welcome To Country from Cherbourg Mayor Arnold Murray, followed by a blessing of the rail trail by Glen Vonhoff from the Murgon District Baptist Church.

After this, Member for Callide Jeff Seeney told the audience the Rail Trail had its genesis in 2006 when he was first told the former railway line was to be closed, and he had struck a deal with then-Transport Minister John Mickel to keep the railway land in public ownership.

It had taken a further eight years to find the $2 million Royalties For Regions funding that paid for the new trail to be created, but Mr Seeney said he was very proud of being able to do that.

“The bitumen seal on the South Burnett Rail Trail is unique in Australia and allows many more people to use it,” Mr Seeney said.

“This trail will increase the tourism assets of the South Burnett and provide valuable recreation and health benefits for locals who use it.”

Ron Grant made a surprise admission that he had only “discovered” rail trails a year ago, but was now a confirmed fan.

Earlier this year he had travelled the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail from Wulkuraka to Yarraman over three days, so he was determined to be the first person to walk the South Burnett Rail Trail end to end.

Runner Mick Freeman officially passed the Rail Trail baton back to Mayor Campbell, who presented medallions to all the runners who had taken part in the relay.

After this the Mayor declared the Trail officially open to the sound of the steam train whistle.

“This is an historic day and a momentous one,” the Mayor said.

“The railway arrived in Murgon in 1903 and made it to Kingaroy in 1904, and it changed everyone’s lives for the better.

“I believe the South Burnett Rail Trail will do the same, bringing economic benefit to all the towns along it and a great facility for locals as well as visitors.”

The winners of the day’s prizes were announced and a painting by award-winning Indigenous artist Max Conlon was auctioned for $2500 to assist the Murgon Men’s Shed.

Cr Gavin “Spud” Jones’ Charity Challenge (see separate report) donated $1200 to RACQ LifeFlight and $1100 to the Murgon Men’s Shed.

Murgon Business and Development Association president Leo Geraghty said there were now plans to make the Community Day an annual event at Murgon on the long weekend.

Member for Wide Bay Llew O’Brien, who secured a $25,000 Federal Government grant to help with an extension to the Murgon Men’s Shed, also took advantage of the celebrations to declare the new building officially open.

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Kingaroy

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Crawford

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Wooroolin

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Wondai

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Murgon

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Ron Grant