Funds for Friends’ rail trail restoration

FRIENDS of Canadian Corridor have reached the next milestone in their project to reconnect a missing link of the Buninyong rail trail in Mount Clear.

Community Bank Buninyong have provided just over $33,000 to FOCC to action their plans to preserve what’s left of the historic railway line and surrounding native bushland at 55 Recreation Road.

FOCC treasurer Peter Darveniza said they’re set to create an all-abilities accessible public walking trail along the old line’s embankment, which will link up to the Canadian Creek, Woowookarung Regional Park, and Mount Clear’s school and sporting precinct.

“The money is to develop this area into a walking track, possibly clean up the pines, build a bridge, fencing, and landscaping,” he said.

Community Bank Buninyong volunteer director Andrea Mason said helping to connect people to the environment will be the greatest outcome.

“This is a project that has connected people, agencies, the Friends, and is a major piece in the Ballarat to Buninyong loop trail,” she said.

“We’re really pleased and proud to be part of this project, commend the committee for the hard work they’ve done in this space, and the partners that have come on board to bring the link project together.”

Fifty-five Recreation Road is a triangular, pine-filled block of land, and it includes remnants of a heritage wooden rail bridge, which will be protected and not altered.

It was owned by the Victorian School Building Authority and to be sold off, before FOCC lobbied Member for Buninyong Michaela Settle, and the City of Ballarat for it to be purchased by the municipality.

In 2021, the block, which is in a rural conservation zone and cannot be developed, was officially bought by the City of Ballarat.

Spokesperson and south ward’s Cr Ben Taylor said groups can achieve so much when they unite.

“This project is an example of that. It’s not a vision now, this is actually a reality to get on and build this connection,” he said.

“This is a beautiful, amazing space with indigenous plants… and it’s a different area of the city to explore. People across Ballarat don’t realise the amazing spaces like this that we have.

“Thank you to Tracie Currie for opening up the easement on the neighbouring block to make the connection through to the park.”

Once the works are finished, a gap will be filled in the ‘Bunny trail loop’ which begins at the Eureka Centre, travelling through Woowookarung to Mount Clear.

There is potential for that trail to go onto Buninyong via Olympic Avenue, across the easement of the Regional Park’s gorge, over Greenhill Road, behind Federation University’s Mount Helen Campus, and into Union Jack Reserve in Buninyong.