Murrumbidgee valley Rail Trail Feasibility Study Riverina Regional Development Board and Gundagai Shire Council April 2009 Murrumbidgee Valley Rail Trail Feasibility Study Murrumbidgee valley Rail Trail Feasibility Study By Transplan Pty Ltd and Mike Halliburton Associates 2 Murrumbidgee Valley Rail Trail Feasibility Study CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 6 BACKGROUND TO THIS FEASIBILITY STUDY 6 HISTORY OF THE CORRIDOR 8 WHAT IS A RAIL-TRAIL? 9 DETERMINING FEASIBILITY 11 THE ISSUES 12 CONCLUSION 13 FEASIBILITY STATEMENT 17 RECOMMENDATIONS 19 SECTION 1 – INTRODUCTION 20 SECTION 2 – BACKGROUND 21 2.1 HISTORY OF THE COOTAMUNDRA TO TUMUT BRANCH LINE 21 2.2 THE CORRIDOR’S CONDITION 21 2.3 CURRENT USES OF THE CORRIDOR 22 2.4 CURRENT LEASES OF THE CORRIDORS 24 SECTION 3 – RAIL TRAILS EXPLAINED 25 3.1 REQUIREMENTS FOR SUCCESSFUL RAIL TRAIL DEVELOPMENT 25 3.2 HISTORY OF RAIL TRAILS IN AMERICA 26 3.3 HISTORY OF RAIL TRAILS IN AUSTRALIA 27 3.4 COMPLEMENTARY USES OF A RAIL CORRIDOR 31 3.5 HOW DO RAIL TRAILS FUNCTION AND OPERATE? 31 SECTION 4 – THE STUDY APPROACH 36 4.1 SCOPE OF THE PROJECT - THE BRIEF 36 4.2 THE IMPACT OF THE RAIL TRAIL ON THE COMMUNITY 36 SECTION 5 – THE REGION AND ITS CHARACTERISTICS 37 5.1 GUNDAGAI 37 5.2 BEYOND THE SHIRE 38 5.3 TOURISM 38 5.4 TRAILS AND TOURISM 39 5.5 CONCLUSION 40 SECTION 6 – COMMUNITY CONSULTATION 41 6.1 INTRODUCTION 41 6.2 PREVIOUS CONSULTATION 41 6.3 DECEMBER 2008 ROUND OF MEETINGS 41 6.4 FEBRUARY 2009 ROUND OF MEETINGS 42 6.5 SUBMISSIONS RECEIVED PRIOR TO REPORT PREPARATION 48 Transplan Pty Ltd and Mike Halliburton Associates 3 Murrumbidgee Valley Rail Trail Feasibility Study SECTION 7 - DEMAND 49 7.1 POPULATION TRENDS AND DEMOGRAPHICS 49 7.2 RECREATION AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY TRENDS 49 7.3 PARTICIPATION IN TRAIL-RELATED ACTIVITIES – WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE REGION – ANECDOTAL 53 7.4 CYCLE TOURISM 53 7.5 SUPPLY GENERATED DEMAND (SPECULATIVE) 54 7.6 CONCLUSION 54 SECTION 8 – BENEFITS OF RAIL TRAILS 55 8.1 ENVIRONMENTAL AND CULTURAL BENEFITS 55 8.2 SOCIAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH BENEFITS 55 8.3 ECONOMIC BENEFITS 57 8.4 POTENTIAL ECONOMIC BENEFITS IN DETAIL 57 8.5 SUMMARY OF ECONOMIC BENEFITS 63 8.6 LOCAL COMMUTING AND RECREATION BENEFITS 63 SECTION 9 - LANDOWNER ISSUES AND SOLUTIONS 65 9.1 INTRODUCTION 65 9.2 THE ISSUES 65 9.3 LANDHOLDER CONSULTATION - THE NEXT PHASE 88 SECTION 10 - TRAIL DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT CONSIDERATIONS 89 10.1 GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS 89 10.2 TRAIL WIDTH AND HEIGHT 89 10.3 TRAIL SURFACE MATERIAL 90 10.4 SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS 91 10.5 ROAD CROSSINGS 92 10.6 SIGNAGE 92 10.7 EROSION CONTROL AND WATER CROSSINGS 97 10.8 BRIDGES 97 10.9 TRAIL FURNITURE 99 10.10 TRAIL HEADS AND PARKING 100 10.11 SUITABILITY FOR MULTI-USE 100 10.12 OTHER USERS AND TRAIL ETIQUETTE 101 10.13 CODES OF CONDUCT 102 10.14 HERITAGE ISSUES 103 10.15 ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES 103 10.16 INTERPRETATION 104 SECTION 11 – COST ESTIMATES 107 11.1 SECTION COSTS 109 SECTION 12 – BUSINESS CASE 114 12.1 INTRODUCTION 114 12.2 POPULATION AND VISITOR INFORMATION – A SUMMARY 114 12.3 PROJECTED USER SCENARIOS - LOCAL RESIDENT USAGE 115 12.4 PROJECTED USER SCENARIOS – DAY-TRIP USAGE 116 Transplan Pty Ltd and Mike Halliburton Associates 4 Murrumbidgee Valley Rail Trail Feasibility Study 12.5 PROJECTED USER SCENARIOS – OVERNIGHT VISITOR USAGE 117 12.6 PROJECTED USER SCENARIOS - SUMMARY 120 12.7 OVERVIEW OF BENEFITS AND COSTS 120 SECTION 13 – CONVERSION TO A RAIL TRAIL - LEGISLATIVE AND ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES 125 13.1 THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS 125 13.2 THE LEGISLATIVE AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS IN NSW 125 13.3 CONCLUSION 127 SECTION 14 – FEASIBILITY STATEMENT 128 14.1 THE RECOMMENDATION 128 14.2 FACTORS SUPPORTING THE DECISION 130 SECTION 15 – AN IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM 132 15.1 WHO SHOULD DRIVE THE PROJECT? 132 15.2 PLANNING STAGES 132 15.3 TRAIL CONSTRUCTION STAGES 137 SECTION 16 – FUTURE MANAGEMENT 140 16.1 COMMITTEES OF MANAGEMENT 140 16.2 MANAGEMENT MODELS – A SUMMARY 143 16.3 THE FUTURE - FRIENDS OF THE MURRUMBIDGEE VALLEY RAIL TRAIL 143 SECTION 17 – CORRIDOR MANAGEMENT PLAN 146 17.1 PREPARATION OF A CORRIDOR MANAGEMENT PLAN 146 17.2 WHAT IS IN A CORRIDOR MANAGEMENT PLAN? 146 SECTION 18 – RESOURCES & FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES 161 18.1 INTRODUCTION 161 18.2 COMMONWEALTH GOVERNMENT 162 18.3 NSW GOVERNMENT 165 18.4 CORPORATE SPONSORS 167 18.5 OTHER TRAIL RESOURCING OPPORTUNITIES 168 BIBLIOGRAPHY 171 APPENDICES 175 APPENDIX 1 – “BEFORE” AND “AFTERS” 176 APPENDIX 2 – TESTIMONIALS FROM PEOPLE LIVING ALONGSIDE RAIL TRAILS 183 APPENDIX 3 – DRAWINGS AND CROSS-SECTIONS 186 APPENDIX 4 – PLANS OF THE PROPOSED RAIL TRAIL ROUTE 187 Transplan Pty Ltd and Mike Halliburton Associates 5 Murrumbidgee Valley Rail Trail Feasibility Study EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Background to this Feasibility Study This feasibility study, commissioned by the Riverina Regional Development Board, in partnership with the Gundagai Shire Council, seeks to establish whether developing a multi-use recreation trail along the disused railway corridor between Coolac and Tumblong, though Gundagai, is a worthwhile proposition. Its primary purpose is to provide information to the trail proponents and the community regarding the disused railway corridor – thereby enabling the community to make an informed decision. This report has been prepared by Transplan Pty Ltd and Mike Halliburton Associates, trail planning specialists with significant experience and expertise in assessing the merits, or otherwise, of trail projects. In preparing this feasibility study, the consultants have become aware of the concern of those opposed to the project that this feasibility study will merely be a carbon copy of the earlier feasibility study prepared several years ago for the Riverina Highlands Rail Trails (Wagga Wagga to Tumbarumba and Batlow to Tumut). It is inevitable that there will be similarities in this report to the earlier report. The brief was almost identical; the issues raised by those opposed to the trail are almost identical; the solutions to stated concerns are identical. There are however some dissimilarities. The geographic location is not the same; the distance to potential markets is different; the community is different; the set of local attractions is different; the The former railway passes through attractive Council is different. landscapes. Conversion to a rail-trail will provide an excellent local recreational resource, as well as A role of this feasibility study a drawcard for visitors. therefore is to present factual information to the general community and adjoining landowners, and to the Gundagai Shire Council, on the merits of developing a trail within the publicly owned corridor. Based on the findings and recommendations set out in this feasibility study, the community will be able to make a decision on whether to pursue the preparation of a more detailed trail development plan – and the development of a multi-use recreational trail. Throughout this project it has been assumed that it would be just a matter of time before the NSW government made various disused railway corridors throughout NSW available for development of rail trails as State Governments elsewhere have done. Trail proponents in the Riverina region have been of that belief. It now appears as if this may not be the case. The broader review of processes currently underway may recommend a different process where a feasibility study (such as this one) is not the first detailed formal consideration of any such proposal. Consequently, it is critical to Transplan Pty Ltd and Mike Halliburton Associates 6 Murrumbidgee Valley Rail Trail Feasibility Study understand that, until such time as the issue of legislative and administrative processes to allow conversion of a rail corridor to a rail trail is resolved at the State level, there is limited possibility of the Murrumbidgee Valley Rail Trail proceeding. Further expenditure of resources would not be appropriate unless this issue is addressed and resolved. Advice on a possible implementation program (set out later in this report) is provided on the understanding that the over-arching issue of conversion will be resolved. The purpose of this feasibility study was to arrive at a stage where, if the NSW Government decides to vest the railway corridor with a Committee of Management (or similar), the community is ready to implement the plan – should it decide to proceed with the rail trail. It should be noted that plan implementation in this case requires significant detailed consultation with adjoining landholders as part of the trail development process prior to construction. It does not imply moving from this feasibility statement to construction. A feasibility study of this nature does not allow extensive consultation with adjoining landowners to identify the nature and extent of individual concerns, nor does it permit a full traverse of the railway corridor to ascertain the condition of each and every bridge, the condition and extent of boundary fences and every issue confronting adjoining landowners. These tasks are the domain of a trail development plan should the community decide to proceed with the trail. Nonetheless, it has been possible to gauge landowner concerns, and to capture a sense of the work required to develop a trail for the full length of the railway corridor. From the various discussions with adjoining landowners (particularly those who have expressed initial opposition to the proposed rail trail), it is evident that individual solutions to particular farm management practices can be devised – and thereby reducing their concern about the project. From this, and other rail trail projects with which this consultancy partnership has been associated, it is evident that the biggest issue adjoining landowners have is the threat posed by something they have little knowledge of – indeed, a fear of the unknown and a fear of change.