Wagga Wagga to Ladysmith Rail Trail  

Updated June 2020

The Wagga Rail Trail Strategic Directions and Implementation Plan was released in September 2017 by Wagga Rail Trail Inc. with a total cost estimate of $9.951m.

The project remains a matter for negotiation between Wagga Rail Trail, Wagga Wagga City Council, effected landowners and the NSW Government.

The issue of use of the rail corridor between the CBD and Forest Hill has also been incorporated into determining the Eastern Link of the (separate) Active Travel Plan project which is a NSW Government funded Wagga Wagga City Council project to establish 45km of cycleways throughout the City.

Further information on the Wagga Rail Trail can be found at

Wagga Wagga Rail Trail

Further information on the Active Travel Plan can be found at

Wagga Wagga City Council Projects - Active Travel Plan

Background

The Wagga Rail Trail project proposes to utilise the disused rail corridor between Wagga Wagga and Ladysmith to establish a sealed pathway for recreation uses including walking, running and cycling. 

Rail Trails have been successfully developed at various locations in both Australia and New Zealand, with data collected from established trails indicating the infrastructure has the potential to boost tourism and economic activity. For example, a survey of 8,500 bike riders who rode the Murray to Mountain Trail in north-eastern Victoria over the 2009 Easter period found that on average each cyclist spent $244 a day, compared to the $159 average spend of other travellers in the region. This included $52 a day on accommodation, $123 a day on food and beverages, and $38 a day on miscellaneous expenditure. In addition, the study found that the Rail Trail directly supports up to 11 jobs in the tourism and accommodation sectors.

The Rail Trails for NSW Evaluation Summary was released by the NSW Government in June 2022. The report evaluated the two pilot Rail Trail projects: the 21km Tumbarumba to Rosewood Rail Trail, and the 130km Northern Rivers Rail Trail (currently under development) and demonstrated positive economic and social outcomes of the Tumbarumba to Rosewood Rail Trail. The full report can be read here.

The Wagga Rail Trail project is important to the community as it will activate an unutilised community asset into a practical transport route and diversify the experiences offered to visitors. C4Wagga is strongly supportive of developing infrastructure that will encourage and support a healthy lifestyle. This is evidenced by recent initiatives such as the Share The Road campaign, designed to raise awareness and encourage a safer environment for vehicles and cyclists on the city’s road network.