THE Great Southern Rail Trail will soon run from Nyora to Yarram to total 135km.
The state government today announced $6m through its Regional Infrastructure Fund – Stimulus Round to extend the trail from Welshpool – where it currently ends – for an extra 21km to Alberton.
It will then connect up to an established track which links Alberton to Yarram.
The trail currently runs from Leongatha to Welshpool and is popular among locals and visitors, with more than 40,000 walkers, joggers and cyclists using it each year.
The project will enable the Wellington and South Gippsland Shire Councils to construct a new 21-kilometre trail between Welshpool and Alberton. The project will include bridges and water crossings and will utilise the former rail corridors across both shires.
The state government said the extension built on the government’s $1.3 million investment to support two additional extensions of the trail, including a 21-kilometre section from Nyora to Korumburra, and a 15-kilometre section from Korumburra to Leongatha, which are both under construction.
Once these new sections of trail have been completed, it will deliver a continuous length of 135 kilometres from Nyora through to Yarram – which will meet the Gippsland Shire’s long-term vision of transforming the Great Southern Rail Trail into one of Australia’s longest rail trails.
“We are pleased to back this exciting project that will boost tourism to the Gippsland region and support a smooth road to recovery, enabling the community to thrive into the future,” Minister for Regional Development, Mary-Anne Thomas said.
Member for Eastern Victoria, Jane Garrett added: “Projects like the Great Southern Rail Trail extension will make Gippsland an even better place to live, work, visit and invest.”
Excellent news! Mary Lawry raises a good point. Is there a plan for safely crossing Roughead Street in Leongatha?
Good news about the extension but we have 2 trails – one from Nyora to Leongatha and the other Leongatha to Yarram. The proposal by Council to link the 2 is not the answer. The government need to fund the underpass needed in Leongatha
What stupidity! Unless they spend the $1.5m to do the SGRT tunnel under Roughead St. in Leongatha. Without it someone will get killed and then the trail fails as a tourist attraction. Do it once, do it right! (Editor: Shire has looked closely at this but so far, found it couldn’t justify the cost. If you can’t wheel your bike across a road, or ride safely over a road, maybe you shouldn’t be out riding your bike at all).
We know this will bring further prosperity to these once thriving railway towns that saw their heydays when rail was king and in recent years have really suffered until the rail trails arrived. Towns like Fish Creek, Meeniyan and Toora have all benefited from the visitors. It will be great for Nyora and Loch and hopefully someone will see the benefit in investing in a shop at Bena as well. Wouldn’t it be great if we could also link to the Anderson Section of the old Wonthaggi line and places like Kernot and Glen Forbes again being connected by an active transport link. If you’re not fit hire and e-bike and enjoy, I know I will!
What a disgusting joke our govt is making of us , if only we had rail and public transport so we could grow and prosper instead of pandering to please a minority seeking to day trip from Melb and sip coffee and go for a jog. Well never prosper like west Gippsland or Latrobe as long as we remain isolated and left behind. What a disgrace to see how vandalised and neglected the stations in gatha and korumburra are now to add insult to injury . Better keep the latte sippers happy
This is great news!
Is SGST aware of what plans are in place to enable cyclists and other trail users to cross the bypass in Leongatha?