Businesses back bid to finish rail trail

LOCAL business owners are urging the community to back a campaign to complete the Northern Rivers Rail Trail as new funding opportunities emerge for the long-awaited project.

 

Nearly 10,000 people have already signed a campaign launched by Northern Rivers Rail Trail Supporters calling for the remaining sections of what will eventually become a 132km shared path linking Casino and Murwillumbah to be completed.

With the next NSW election approaching, business owners including Mosey On Inn co-owner Matt Rabbidge, Mullumbimby Newsagency co-owner Jenelle Stanford, and Better by Bike owner Campbell Shepherd hope strong community support will strengthen future funding applications.

Stanford, who is also a board member of the Mullumbimby Chamber of Commerce, said that after the federal government rejected a joint $42m grant application from Byron Shire and Lismore City councils, the project was now being broken into smaller funding bids, such as Crabbes Creek to Mullumbimby and Eltham to Bangalow, to be completed in stages.

 

“It’s not as much money for the government to find,” she said.

“We just hope they will listen to us. Our businesses are really struggling at the moment so they really need an influx of people.

“We need to go hard. We have a really big action group now and the more people who sign their name the more the government will realise how strong the support is.”

Two sections of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail are already open to the public – the 24km Tweed section between Murwillumbah and Crabbes Creek, and the 30km section between Casino and Lismore.

But the entire central section, which totals about 78km, remains incomplete.

Shepherd, who moved to the Northern Rivers from Sydney after recognising the opportunities created by the success of rail trails in his homeland New Zealand, said completing the trail was a “no brainer”, with Tourism Research Australia figures showing $6bn was spent on trips involving bike riding activity in 2024.

 

“It has the potential to be one of Australia’s biggest tourism assets,” he said.

His company currently operates outlets at Murwillumbah Railway Station and Byron Bay and employs seven people.

He expects that workforce to grow to around 30 once the trail is completed, with plans to offer multi-day cycling holidays with shuttle services and accommodation packages, repairs and bike sales.

Rabbidge, whose hospitality group includes acclaimed Bangalow venues You Beauty and Ciao, Mate!, and the iconic The Eltham Hotel, said local businesses had been anticipating the completed trail for years.

“We have talked about when the rail trail comes through here consistently,” he said. “It’s a no-brainer for hospitality businesses on the trail that there’s going to be an increase in patronage.

“If people are active on the trail they’re going to stop for a feed and that creates a whole bunch of employment opportunities. I know landholders along the trail who are really excited about offering accommodation.

 

“We have five rooms above the pub so they will reach capacity pretty quickly, but it’s an added bonus if we have people booking on a random Tuesday because they are riding past.

“We’re disappointed with where it is at the moment, but we are going to stay hopeful that common sense prevails.”

To add your voice to the campaign to finish the Northern Rivers Rail Trail, visit northernriversrailtrailsupporters.org.au