Horse riders gain more freedom on rail trail with permit-free access

THE holiday season brings a treat for horse riders who now no longer need to apply for permits to ride the Northern Rivers Rail Trail (NRRT).

As of December 2024, permits are not required for the Tweed and Casino to Lismore sections of the trail, further diversifying visitors to the increasingly popular destination.

Tweed Shire Council Manager of Destination, Communication and Customer Experience Tiffany Stodart said the initial permit system was to allow monitoring of the number of horse owners during the 12-month trial period of the Tweed section.

“As a multi-use trail and one of the first of its kind in NSW with over 140,000 visitors in the first year, it was important that we captured user data to monitor risk and user behaviours, ensuring the trail was safe for all users,” Stodart said.

“After consultation and feedback at the end of the trial period in Tweed, we decided to remove the permit requirement as they no longer served a need relating to the trial and were an unnecessary administrative requirement adding no value to the risk of using the trail.

“With ample horse-friendly sections, services and length of trail now available on the NRRT, our focus is on shared path education for all users.

“Removing the permit system simply removes one small step and allows horse owners to use all sections of the trail on which horses are permitted without the need to apply online.”

The Casino to Lismore section spans approximately 23 kilometres with a horse-friendly section of a bridle pathway parallel to the main trail. The 2.2 km designated zone on the Tweed section stretches from north of Burringbar to Upper Burringbar, featuring a mixture of terrain including compacted gravel and half-sealed asphalt.

Clear guidelines are in place for all visitors, including etiquette guidelines, safety tips, and rules. A range of animated videos for each trail is available, including the ‘Slow and Say Hello’ campaigns encouraging courteous and respectful interactions between cyclists, walkers, and horse riders.

Horse-friendly designated trail sections, education and awareness collaboration with groups such as the Australian Trail Horse Riders Association (ATHRA) promote shared trail use and educate visitors on safe practices.

For more information, visit northernriversrailtrail.com.au