Rail Trail Update as we welcome 2022 by Debbie Harris
Update
We are pleased to report that our Tumbarumba to Rosewood Rail Trail is going well with visitor numbers rising, especially as border restrictions start to ease across the country. Also the warmer weather and school holidays have helped bring people to town in droves.
Remember we opened the Rail Trail in April 2020 during Covid lockdown so it had to be opened virtually. We finally had our delayed offical opening in April 2021 with a fabulous Family Fun Day
During the past year we have experienced significant rain events and the rail trail has suffered in places. The committee continues to work with Snowy Valleys Council staff to help rectify issues but due to weather and time constraints some of these are still waiting to be completed.
The volunteer committee continues to work hard as a group, planting hundreds of trees along the trail over the past year, working with various local groups such as the Tumbarumba Men’s Shed, Historical Society and helping with the Rotary Club’s Tumba Triobikes.
Above: Santa and helper on their way in the triobikes
Counters on the trail
There are two Traker-Count counters recording trail usage. They are located around 2km from each end of the trail. They record that somebody has passed, not how they are travelling or which is the direction of travel. Hence, they only give an estimate of trail usage as not all users pass a counter if they are only doing a section of the trail, and those travelling side by side past a counter would only be counted as one.
Both counters have increased by around 17000 over 2021, ie. around 17000 journeys along the trail, which equates to around 1430 journeys a month. This is a fantastic result in a year where COVID 19 and weather events have had a great effect during the year.
Above: Weather along the trail
Recent Articles and Interviews
A few recent articles and interviews have highlighted our trail to a wider audience than we can manage and we appreciate the opportunity to shine!
Andrew Bain from Traveller.com.au, interviewed committee members last year and his article appeared today online 4 January 2022 – you can read it here:
The Tumbarumba to Rosewood Rail Trail review
Andrew Bain SMH Traveller
ABC News featured our rail trail in late December 2021 after visiting and interviewing Owen Fitzgerald and Grant & Debbie Harris and filming on the trail.
Rail Trails Australia
We have been fortunate to have lots of support from Rail Trails Australia and they have been fantastic with promoting it for us. We are featured in their magazine on a regular basis and we are very thankful!