A new rail trail has been proposed between Boorowa and Galong.
The Galong Progress Association meeting held last Thursday highlighted the successes of the current Tumbarumba to Rosewood trail, which spans a distance of 21 kilometres. The trail saw almost 20,000 visitors in the first 12 months and has encouraged the opening of new businesses as well as a boom in tourism in the area.
“Since its opening, 11 new businesses have been established in Tumbarumba, after the Rail Trail was built,” President of the Boorowa to Galong Committee, Jim Ryan said. “With the success of Tumbarumba and Rosewood, a group of us got together and formed an incorporated body which we called Boorowa Galong Rail Trail Incorporated,” he said. “The project is in its infancy and the first step is to do a feasibility study. The cost of that is about $45,000.”
The Galong Progress Association has agreed to donate $20,000 to help fund the project. “The money is from the village infrastructure component of the VPA [Voluntary Planning Agreement], and I think that a rail trail going through to Boorowa will attract a very big audience with its proximity to Canberra and its large population.” Jim explained. The first of its kind in New South Wales, the Tumbarumba and Rosewood trail has impressed locals through its ability to bring in tourism from across Australia to a rural areas and Jim is hopeful that the newly proposed Rail Trail could do the same.
Many people in the high country community have expressed their gratitude for the trail, and President of the Tumbarumba Chamber of Commerce, Ken Dale, said that it has been a ‘sensational’ addition to the community. “In the last twelve months since it has opened, we have seen visitor numbers increase exponentially during that time,” he said. “We are seeing our overnight stays and holidaying and hospitality industry increase so much, that it has led to many new businesses opening in our area.” Ken said that the opening of the eleven new businesses has been directly correlated to the establishment of the Rail Trail.
“The businesses have been opened to cater for the increased tourism from the Rail Trail which has just been sensational to the economic boom of the area,” he explained. Business owners in the shire have said that since the opening of the Rail Trail last April, they have noticed a ‘huge difference’ in the traffic coming through their doors. Although the Boorowa to Galong Rail Trail project is still in its infancy, there are hopes it will bring the same benefits to the area as the already established Tumbarumba to Rosewood trail. The feasibility study will include involvement from stakeholders along the old line. Rebecca More
