April 18, 2018
The lack of a Master Plan for the future development of the South Burnett Rail Trail is causing difficulties for the South Burnett Regional Council.
At Wednesday’s monthly meeting, Councillors heard the idea of erecting archways and signs to mark the start and end of the Rail Trail – and any other rail trail infrastructure – will need to wait until a Master Plan has been developed for the Trail, a process that could take up to two years.
The lack of a Master Plan will also prevent the Council helping the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail Users’ Association erect signposts to mark a connecting route between Yarraman and Kingaroy to link the two trails for cyclists, runners and walkers.
The missing plan has even stymied the committee’s own plans to upgrade the 44 chicanes along the trail with logos and QR codes.
The South Burnett Rail Trail Management Advisory Committee (SBRT MAC) reported that counters to measure Rail Trail usage were installed near Crawford and Wondai in February.
In March, the Wondai counter registered 765 users over a period of several weeks, but the Crawford counter appears to have malfunctioned, recording 40 users on a February weekend before it stopped.
The committee will fix the defective counter, and rail trail usage figures will be reported at monthly Council meetings when this is done.
The committee have also decided that major public events held along the Rail Trail will require a formal application to be lodged with the Council’s Natural Resources and Parks department.
However, social clubs, groups and individuals will not need to apply to use the Trail.
Despite delays caused by the absence of a Master Plan, the Council recently installed safety markers on the Trail and is working to make trail crossings on the Bunya Highway and Lamb Street safer.
This work is being done to address safety issues that have been raised since the Rail Trail opened last October.
Signage will also be installed along the trail to advise users about cattle grids and sharp turns in future, but this will be carried out as part of the Council’s normal operations.
