The Great Blue Mountains Trail

Mt Victoria - Wentworth Falls

Several reasons exists for the development of a cycle path along the railway line between Mt Victoria and Katoomba.  These reasons include

• the environmentally friendly nature of recreational and commuter cycling

• the physical and mental health benefits of exercise to both the young and old

• a non-motorised link between the towns of the Upper Mountains

• tourist attraction to some of Australia's most spectacular scenery

• viable economic proposition to local businesses and the railways alike

• reduced risk of death to cyclists presently forced to use the great western highway

• links to existing cycling in Katoomba along Narrow Neck, in Blackheath down into The Megalong Valley and potential rehabilitation of the historic Megalong - Kedumba Rail Trail, at Mt Victoira into The Hartley Valley with it's backroad connections to the presently being constructed Tarana - Oberon Rail Trail

• part of a trans-mountain link to the Andersons and Oaks fire trails used by Mountain Bikers between Wentworth Falls and Glenbrook, as well as connections to a future Lower Blue Mountains Rail Trail (from Glenbrook - Penrith) and a future extension of the Rail Trail along The Bell's Line to Clarence Railway with the possible future rehabilitation of the historic Newnes Shale Railway past the Glow Worm Tunnels and into the Wolgan Valley.

An integral part of the NSW Dep't of Planning for trails : http://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/mediarelplan/fs20070302_517.html

The majority (20 of 30km) of the trail already exists (see pictures below).  What is required is legal access to the area, upgrading of the trail, and public awareness of its existence.

Some Facts

• over 1 million bicycles sales per annum were recorded for the past 3 years.

• $213 million is spent annually on cycle tourism (data from 2004/5).

• Easter 2006 saw $2.1 million injected by cyclists into the local community of Bright in just 4 days. This represented the generation of 23 F/t jobs.

• Obesity begins in youth. Regular exercise such as cycling can reduce the incidence and severity of medical conditions associated with obesity. 1 in 4 Australians have diabetes or a condition related to dysfunctional metabolism which is the pre-curser of the big 5 : heart disease, hypertension, stroke, hypercholesteraemia, hyperlipidaemia which costs the country billions of dollars annually. Arthritis and other musculoskeletal conditions cost $4.7 billion to treat in 2000-1 and caused more disability than any other medical condition, affecting 34% of all people with a disability. In the same year cardiovascular disease alone cost $5.5billion dollars. Both these conditions can be prevented or alleviated through lifestyle changes which includes regular exercise. Source: Australian Financial Review; Friday 10 June 2005 : $247 million allocated for control of chronic illness, p9

• Cost of Rail Trails range from as little as $20 000 per km to $100 000 per km. Only 5km requires any serious engineering. Another 2-5 km requires some transpositioning of fencing and some minor upgrading of the surface with gravel ballast

The political precedence for investment in cycling has already been set with

• the recent opening of the Parramatta to Liverpool cycle rail trail

• proposed construction of the Iron Cove bridge to Cooks River Greenway project

• immensely successful Bulli to Shellharbour Illawarra cycle path

• dedicated separate cycling tracks along The Orbital Tollway (M7) and The Gore Hill Expessway

• the currently under construction Parramatta river cycle way

• the Cooks river - Botany Bay - Cronulla - Kurnell cycle network

• proposed 130km and 23km Riverina Rail Trails

• commencement of construction of the Oberon - Tarana Rail Trail
  

Unfortunately, whilst Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania and Western Australia are spending $10's of millions on Rail Trails and Greenway projects, NSW is spending next to none.

Oberon - Tarana Rail Trail

Maps of route

Please click on maps for pictures

Did you know?

• The sales of bicycles in Australia topped 1.1 million in 2005, the sixth year in a row that bicycles outsold cars.
  
• Cyclists can travel up to 1030km on the energy equivalent of 1 litre of petrol
  
• If you ride regularly you can expect to be as fit as a person 10 years younger
  

source : Open Road magazine (July 2006) from the NSW NRMA

"If everyone who lives within 5 miles of their workplace were to cycle to work just one day a week and left the car at home, nearly 5 million tons of global warming pollution would be saved every year, the equivalent of taking about a million cars off the road. "

Write to the

• local member of NSW parliament : The Right Honorable Phil Koperberg bluemountains@parliament.nsw.gov.au

• federal local member : The Right Honorable Bob Debus : Bob.Debus.MP@aph.gov.au

• minister for transport  : David Campbell: david@campbell.minister.nsw.gov.au

• Blue Mountains Councilors

• Blue Mountains Tourism

or to me 

mmkrause@bigpond.net.au

Blue Mountains Rail Trails Process

Establish the perceived, comparative and established need for recreational and commuter cycling facilities

Assess communities concerns regarding the impact on

• Health : Doctors for Cycling Facilities
• Youth issues
• Neighbourhood centres: Blackheath, Mt Victoria
• Community: Petition (Don Newbury & myself)
• Commercial aspects:
  • Cafes, hotels, adventure outlets, cycling shops, YHA, caravan parks, backpackers, B+B
  • Railways
  • Tourist Authority

Assess similar projects

Assess existing recreational and commuter cycling facilities

Government liaison regarding the overall mood and responses

• Council: Councillor Terri Hamilton
• State parliament: Right Honorable Phil Koperberg
• Federal member: Kerri Bartlet

Inform

• Public: the Gazette, website, email, Push on
• Stakeholders and other interested parties

Determine

• Progress of overall plan and individual components
• Key people and stakeholders (protagonists/ antagonists)
• Resources available

Monitor Progress and Negotiations

• Reassess if the needs are met

Since writing this website in 2001, very little progress has been made.  It is naturally difficult to make inroads into a political process which is fragmented in it's decision making process.  Unlike Victoria, NSW doesn't seem to have an authority specifically charged with the development of cycling facilities along railway lines (greenway projects) or Rail Trails along abandoned railway corridors.  It is highly intriguing for a location which prides itself on it's tourist attractions, not to create facilities which cater for a wider spectrum of people.  The Murray to the Mountains Rail Trail in Victoria is estimated to generate $2.3 million in tourist revenue in just 4 days over Easter.  Victorian tourism actively promotes several Rail Trails in their interstate marketing strategies.  Such strategies have even included a colour lift-out in the Sydney Morning Herald.  In contrast, during this same period of time Blue Mountains Tourism appears to be extremely concerned regarding depleting tourist numbers.  Bush fires and September 11 and various other intangibles have been blamed.  Yet, apart from steep bush walks, little other outdoor 'family' activities are catered for in the Blue Mountains. In the same year (2004-5) an independent survey estimated that $213 million was spent by cycle tourism. I am not suggesting that a Rail Trail - Greenway project will save Blue Mountains tourism, however similar models in the USA, Canada and even the UK have shown major economic, environmental, health and social benefits where they have been constructed.  Presently, the upgrades on the Great Western Highway are seen as a substitute for the Rail Trail! However, would you ask your children to go and play on the highway? Highway cycling is only appealing to a select few, whereas Rail Trails appeal to young and old, cyclists and non-cyclists and is a great family bonding activity.

Please view

Links to Newspaper articles for further details of this project. 

Other external links relating to Rail Trail advocacy are listed below

Link to Trails and Greenways Clearinghouse - EXTREMELY USEFUL link for engineers and activists

Rail Trail Establishment Guidelines

Link to CAMWEST

Link to Rail Trails

Lower Mountains Rail Trail

my reply to letters to the editor of the Blue Mountains Gazette

Ken Pickering's letter to the Blue Mountains Gazette deserves support for the prevention of the appalling acts of vandalism, which are occurring in the culturally significant abandoned Lapstone railway tunnel reserve. A simple solution would be for the BMCC to develop a Rail Trail - bike/walking track. Generally users of rail trails are law abiding citizens who become the eyes and ears of the community. "Crime and fear of crime do not flourish in an environment of high energy and healthy interaction among law abiding community members. Thus, the quality of life is enhanced in several ways including the enhancement of individual physical fitness, a safer mode of transportation for cyclists and pedestrians and the potential for less crime overall in the communities." Furthermore, due to their unique gradient, Rail Trails are appealing for young and old, fit and not so fit. Rail Trails are encouraging people (50-60% locals) of all ages to exercise more due to the easy grade and safety of the pathway see: http://www.rkkengineers.com/vbbike/trailq-a.html & http://www.routeverte.com/ang/index.lasso .Victoria and other states have a very large and expanding network of trails along abandoned rail corridors. http://www.railtrail.com.au .