Northern Rivers Rail Trail – Lismore to Bentley section

The Northern Rivers Rail Trail (NRRT) is a proposed recreational trail that traverses 132km of diverse and spectacular countryside between Casino and Murwillumbah.
The project will convert the disused railway line which was abandoned in 2004. To be delivered in four stages, the 132km trail is expected to draw thousands of visitors each year to explore and discover the natural beauty of the Northern Rivers.
Funding has been provided by the Federal Government’s Building Better Regions Fund for Lismore City Council to commence on Stage one. This 16.3km section will connect the former South Lismore railway station with Bentley via some of the most scenic rural landscapes in the Northern Rivers.
It will follow the route of the former rail line and be constructed in four stages as it passes through the local government areas of Tweed Shire, Byron Shire, Lismore City and Richmond Valley Shire. The Tweed section was officially opened in March 2023 with the Casino to Bentley section due to be completed in late 2023.
The trail will be a safe and fun way for locals and visitors alike to explore and connect with the natural beauty of our environment. The project will tap into the rapidly growing hinterland tourism market and create exciting growth opportunities for new and existing businesses that support local jobs.
The Northern Rivers Rail Trail (NRRT) is a proposed recreational trail that traverses 132km of diverse and spectacular countryside between Casino and Murwillumbah.
The project will convert the disused railway line which was abandoned in 2004. To be delivered in four stages, the 132km trail is expected to draw thousands of visitors each year to explore and discover the natural beauty of the Northern Rivers.
Funding has been provided by the Federal Government’s Building Better Regions Fund for Lismore City Council to commence on Stage one. This 16.3km section will connect the former South Lismore railway station with Bentley via some of the most scenic rural landscapes in the Northern Rivers.
It will follow the route of the former rail line and be constructed in four stages as it passes through the local government areas of Tweed Shire, Byron Shire, Lismore City and Richmond Valley Shire. The Tweed section was officially opened in March 2023 with the Casino to Bentley section due to be completed in late 2023.
The trail will be a safe and fun way for locals and visitors alike to explore and connect with the natural beauty of our environment. The project will tap into the rapidly growing hinterland tourism market and create exciting growth opportunities for new and existing businesses that support local jobs.
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Building Business Success with the Northern Rivers Rail Trail
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkLismore City Council, Richmond Valley Council and Tweed Shire Council are collaborating to deliver a program to help businesses leverage opportunities for the Northern Rivers Rail Trail.
The program will be delivered by Meredith Wray, a leading regional tourism expert.
The program will help businesses to understand the economic opportunities surrounding the Trail and how they can capitalise on the new regional asset. It will include insights from ambassadors from the Tweed section of the Rail Trail, updates on project construction at Casino and Lismore, and knowledge sharing to support business growth and diversification.
LISMOREDate: Thursday 16 November
Time: 5.30pm – 7.30pm
Venue: Two Mates Brewing
RSVP: REGISTER HERE
CASINO
Date: Thursday 9 November
Time: 5.30pm – 7.30pm
Venue: Casino Golf Club
RSVP: REGISTER HERE
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Concept design available for feedback
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkDesign has commenced on the Rail Trail linking Lismore to Bentley with the Concept design now available for comment.
The project will transform 16.5km of the disused rail corridor into a destination for residents and visitors to enjoy. This section joins the Casino to Bentley section currently under construction by Richmond Valley Council, opening up a 29.5km route from Lismore to Casino.
The project team has been meeting with adjoining landowners during May and June to ensure existing property amenity and operations are adequately safeguarded. The landowners have been overwhelmingly positive about the opportunities the Rail Trail will bring to our region. Interest in this project has peaked following the successful opening of the Tweed to Crabbes Creek section.
We now have the concept design and are starting to engage with the wider Lismore community. There will be further opportunities to provide feedback before construction starts in late 2023.The $9.9 million project is funded by Federal Government’s Building Better Regions Fund to boost recreation opportunities, tourism, and local economies.
Review the concept design HERE. -
Landowner Design Meetings in May 2023
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkIf your property borders the proposed rail trail between South Lismore and Bentley we want to consult with you to ensure we get the best outcomes for everyone.
We invite you to book in a 1:1 time with the project team so we can ensure your views or concerns are heard and taken onboard when designing the Lismore to Bentley section of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail.
These detailed design meetings will ensure your existing property amenity and operations are adequately safeguarded.
The 30 min design meetings will be taking place during May 2023.
Please use the booking link below to book in a time for your design meeting. If the times available are unsuitable please get in touch so we an find an alternative time.
BOOKING LINK: https://calendly.com/rail-trail/landowner-design
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Landholder contact details sought ahead of rail trail design
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkThe first step towards delivering the Bentley to Lismore rail trail will get underway soon.
Lismore City Council wants landholder input on the project, which is 100% funded by the Federal Government’s Building Better Regions Fund.
The project will convert 16.3km of the old rail corridor between Bentley and Lismore to a trail for recreational use to boost tourism, recreation opportunities and local economies. It will link onto the Casino to Bentley section currently being completed by Richmond Valley Council.
Extensive planning and research underpin the development of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail. Please refer the attached fact sheet for further details on the project.
Get involved and let us know what’s needed
If your property borders the proposed rail trail we want to consult with you to ensure we get the best outcomes for everyone.
Please provide your contact details (Name, Address, Phone, Email) using one of the methods below by Wednesday 11 January 2023. Any residents that we don’t hear from will be followed up with door knocking between Thursday 12 January and Friday 20 January 2023.
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Trail Information
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkThe Northern Rivers Rail Trail is a proposed 132-kilometre recreational shared-user pathway from Murwillumbah to Casino.
Staying within the railway corridor of the former Casino to Murwillumbah branch line of the North Coast Rail Line, the trail's route is proposed to meander through the Northern Rivers countryside, passing through the major towns of Casino, Lismore, Byron Bay and Murwillumbah.
The trail will be constructed in four stages, each delivered separately by each of the four local Councils as funding allows.
On 8 October 2021, the Federal Government announced a $9.9 million grant to construct the 16.3km Bentley to Lismore section of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail.
Both the Casino to Bentley section in the Richmond Valley Council area and the Murwillumbah to Crabbes Creek section in the Tweed Shire Council area have already been funded and are at varying stage of construction/design work.
The entire project is designed to attract the rapidly growing hinterland tourism market, as well as locals - creating business and job opportunities and boosting the local economy.
Next Steps
Following the Government’s October announcement, Lismore City Council will now begin detailed design work for the Bentley to Lismore section.
This 16.3km section will start at Bentley’s Back Creek Bridge and finish at the Lismore Railway Station, South Lismore. As the rail trail passes through South Lismore it will provide important connections to the existing local network of pathways.
The section has 29 railway bridges, some of which have structural timber elements that are in poor to unserviceable condition. This will be further investigated during the design stage.
At this time, we envisage that significant railway infrastructure and sections of duplicate railway track near the Lismore Railway Station will be preserved and improved for users to appreciate the historical railway origins of the Rail Trail.
Once the design work is finalised and construction begins, it is expected it will be completed within two years, weather permitting.
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Northern Rivers Rail Trail Media Release: NORTHERN RIVERS RAIL TRAIL SET TO TAKE SHAPE!
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkThis year will be a big one for the Northern Rivers Rail Trail, with 54km of the planned 130km set to become a reality.
Not for profit community group the Northern Rivers Rail Trail Supporters has been working closely with councils and communities to revitalise the neglected and abandoned rail corridor from Murwillumbah to Casino.
A car-free pedestrian connection for locals and tourists alike, the Rail Trail will be used for all active eco transport and recreation, including walking, running, bikes, riding, mobility scooters, prams, and multi-day adventures.
With support from all levels of government, three sections of the Rail Trail are fully funded and ready for construction. These are Tweed to Crabbes Creek, Casino to Bentley and Bentley to Lismore.
“The significance of this project from a community and visitor perspective will be felt for generations to come,” Northern Rivers Rail Trail vice president Cameron Arnold said. “Reinvigorating the disused corridor for all to use, whilst ensuring it remains in public ownership, is a huge win.”
The cycling community injected $16.8 billion into the Australian economy last year, according to the Australian Cycling Economy 2021 Report by We Ride Australia. The Northern Rivers Rail Trail will draw such dollars inland, creating supplemental profit, every day of the week, for local businesses and beyond.
Rail trails have been a huge success in many other parts of the world, including New Zealand and Victoria. The Tumbarumba to Rosewood Rail Trail in the NSW Snowy Valley, which opened in 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, has seen several new businesses opening and many existing businesses thriving, due to its ongoing popularity as a tourist drawcard.
“That is overwhelmingly the case in every country, in every state where a Rail Trail has been built,” Cameron said.
Cafes and hospitality venues, bike hire and repair, accommodation and experience-based businesses will all have access to new customers.
Eltham Hotel owner/operator Matt Rabbidge said the Rail Trail offered an exciting opportunity for small towns that are outside of the regional hubs. “It’s a really good way for small businesses to encourage new eyes on the place, be that people stopping through walking or riding on their bikes — to stop in and support the businesses,” he said.
The 24km Tweed section, which runs from Murwillumbah to Crabbes Creek, is full steam ahead, with a 200m test section currently under construction. “Murwillumbah locals may have seen the main site office set up at the Murwillumbah Station and people may start to see crews preparing for the first construction works,” project director Iain Lonsdale said. The 24km Tweed section is on track to be completed by December 2022.
Casino to Bentley (16.3km), which is managed by Richmond Valley Council, has begun vegetation clearing, while detailed design work is beginning on Bentley to Lismore (13.5km), which is managed by Lismore City Council.
“We believe these sections will be an overwhelming success, which will then further strengthen the support for the completion of the rest of the trail,” Cameron said.
The Northern Rivers Rail Trail Supporters believe the Byron Bay section, which is still being debated, would provide huge benefits — especially as the small town battles issues including overtourism, visitor management and traffic bottlenecks. The Rail Trail project would provide an alternative car-free path for low impact tourism, inject additional profit for local businesses, and entice visitors to travel out to other scenic villages in the hinterland.
The Northern Rivers Rail Trail Supporters believe that, once completed, the Northern Rivers Rail Trail will be something very special. It will be the longest in NSW, and the third longest in Australia*, linking 12 schools, villages and towns, beaches, native bushland and working farms. It will help create deeper connections between the region’s unique smaller communities, business and tourism opportunities, health and wellness, and eco conservation and historical elements.
Project Timeline
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Landholder Consultation
Northern Rivers Rail Trail – Lismore to Bentley section has finished this stage -
Concept Design
Northern Rivers Rail Trail – Lismore to Bentley section has finished this stageDecember 2022 – May 2023
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Community Consultation for Concept Design
Northern Rivers Rail Trail – Lismore to Bentley section has finished this stageJune - October 2023
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Detailed Design
Northern Rivers Rail Trail – Lismore to Bentley section is currently at this stageDecember 2023
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Construction begins
this is an upcoming stage for Northern Rivers Rail Trail – Lismore to Bentley sectionJanuary 2024
Concept Design for Lismore to Bentley Rail Trail
Detailed Design Plans
What will you use the trail for?
Landholder Engagement
Landowner Design Meetings
If your property borders the proposed rail trail between South Lismore and Bentley we want to consult with you to ensure we get the best outcomes for everyone.
We invite you to book in a 1:1 time with the project team so we can ensure your views or concerns are heard and taken onboard when designing the Lismore to Bentley section of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail.
These detailed design meetings will ensure your existing property amenity and operations are adequately safeguarded.
The 30 min design meetings will be taking place during May and June 2023.
Fact Sheet - Lismore to Bentley section
FAQs
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Community
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Landholders
- What if somebody comes onto my land and steals or damages some of my property?
- My property backs onto the rail corridor. What if somebody trespasses on my land and gets injured? Am I liable?
- There are a lot of weeds on the rail corridor. What will happen to them? How will they be stopped from spreading?
- Is Council going to fence the entire corridor to keep people separate from stock and adjacent private lands?
- How will emergencies be managed?
- I have paddocks on both sides of the rail corridor and frequently transfer stock across the line. Will I still be able to do this if a rail trail is established?
- Will people dump rubbish?
- My house is close to the rail line. A rail trail will reduce my privacy. What will be done to avoid this?
- What if somebody starts a fire on the rail trail?
- How will motorcycles be kept off the trail?
Northern Rivers Rail Trail Information
- Northern Rivers Rail Trail Website
- Promotional video - Northern Rivers Rail Trail
- Northern Rivers Rail Trail - Facebook
- Northern Rivers Rail Trail - YouTube channel
- Northern Rivers Rail Trail - Instagram
- Destination North Coast NSW - Northern Rivers Rail Trail Project
- Northern Rivers Rail Trail Supporters
- Promotional Video - Casino to Bentley section
- Promotional Video - Tweed section
- Subscribe to Trail Tales: Northern Rivers Rail Trail e-newsletter
Lismore to Bentley Rail Corridor Photos
Who's Listening
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Phone 6625 0500 Email railtrail@lismore.nsw.gov.au -
Phone 6625 0500 Email railtrail@lismore.nsw.gov.au
Funding
The construction of the Lismore to Bentley Rail Trail is funded by the Federal Government’s Building Better Regions Fund.