The Northern Rivers Rail Trail is a multi-use rail trail in Northern Rivers region of New South Wales which is a walking and cycling trail. It runs through the Tweed and Richmond River Shires and, as at June 2024, is undergoing further extension into areas of Byron Bay and Lismore. When completed, the trail will be 132 km long and it follows the Murwillumbah railway line which ceased train services in May 2004.
Track details
Section 1: The Tweed section
This section opened in 2023 and is 23 km long and passes through the following towns and villages:
- Murwillumbah; where it starts at and incorporates the heritage listed Murwillumbah railway station.
- Dunbible
- Stokers Siding
- Burringbar
- Mooball
- Crabbes Creek
This section uses 18 railway bridges and passes through 2 railway tunnels; these are the Burringbar Range Tunnel and the Hulls Road Tunnel. These tunnels are a habitat for microbat and glowworms and are kept dark so as not to disturb them; visitors are asked to bring torches and dismount when passing through them.
Views of Mount Warning (Wollumbin) can be seen along long stretches of this track.
Section 2: The Casino and Bentley section
This section opened in March 2024 and is 13.4 km long and it passes through:
- Casino; where it starts at the Old Casino railway station.
- Bentley; where it ends at the historic Bentley Bridge.
Section 3: Lismore
This section will run from Eltham to Bentley and is due to open in late 2024; it will be 31.8 km long.
Section 4: Byron
This section will run from Yelgun to Eltham and is currently in the planning and approval stage; it will be 62.8 km long.
References
- "Fact sheet: Northern Rivers Rail Trail" (PDF). Northern Rivers Rail Trail. 1 January 2023.
- ^ "Northern Rivers Rail Trail | The must-do experience in the region". Northern Rivers Rail Trail. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
- ^ "Northern Rivers Rail Trail". www.tweed.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
- "Closure of Casino to Murwillumbah Rail Services". www.parliament.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
- "Bridges and tunnels". Northern Rivers Rail Trail. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
- "Top tips for exploring the new Rail Trail". www.tweed.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
- "Burringbar Range Tunnel". www.nswrail.net. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
- "Northern Rivers Rail Trail – Rail Trails Australia". 23 April 2024. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
- ^ "Project and construction". Northern Rivers Rail Trail. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
- "Northern Rivers Rail Trail – Lismore to Bentley section". Your Say Lismore. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
- "Northern Rivers Rail Trail - Byron Shire". www.byron.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 25 June 2024.