Lismore rail trail on track to open next month

THE Lismore to Bentley section of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail will officially open on December 14, with a revitalised Lismore Railway Station serving as the trailhead.

This 16.3km stretch is the third stage of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail, following the Tweed to Crabbes Creek section opened in 2023 and the Casino to Bentley section launched in May. Once complete, the 130km trail will connect Murwillumbah to Casino, drawing visitors from across the region and beyond.

Workers have been busy at the heritage-listed Lismore Railway Station, transforming it into a hub that honours the area’s history. Features include signs made from original steel railway lines and seats crafted from historic bridge timbers.

Daniel Standing, a project manager from Readings Engineering in South Lismore, oversaw the creation of the “Lismore” sign, made entirely from railway steel.

“Railway tracks take a fair bit of cutting, getting all the angles right,” Standing said.

“You can’t cut it with a machine, you’ve got to do it all by hand, and it was heavy.”

He said he was proud to contribute to a project that revitalised the town and looked forward to taking his family on the trail.

The Readings Engineering team also built trailhead seating, horse-hitching rails, and a 4m bike rack made from repurposed railway steel. External upgrades to the station precinct, including new turf and pressure cleaning, are nearing completion.

All five rest areas along the trail have been completed and feature shelters, picnic tables, bike racks, and hitching rails for horses.

Future expansion plans include the 20.9km section between Booyong and South Lismore, which is currently seeking funding.

The 54.2km section from Booyong to Crabbes Creek is still in the planning and approval stage.

Over 197,000 visitors have already explored the Tweed section of the trail since it opened in March 2023, highlighting the project’s popularity.

The Lismore-Bentley project was funded by the federal government’s Building Better Regions Fund.