FARMERS opposed to a rail trail between Tumbarumba and Rosewood are not giving up on their campaign to scuttle the project.
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A regular meeting next week between the Minister for Regional Development, John Barilaro, and NSW Farmers will have the proposed rail trail on the agenda, said Wagga farmer Alan Brown, who has argued the case for rural landholders affected by rail trails.
“It is on the agenda because there is widespread concern around the state by farmers who adjoin these rail corridors,” Mr Brown said.
“There are several trail possibilities.”
Mr Barilaro in June announced funding of $5 million to develop a rail trail pilot project between Tumbarumba and Rosewood.
“The government feels the Tumbarumba proposal is worthy of further investigation as we progress this pilot process,” the minister said in a statement. “A scenic 21km stretch of unused rail corridor from Tumbarumba to Rosewood in southern NSW could become a vibrant new tourism corridor.”
Mr Brown hopes the farmers’ meeting with Mr Barilaro will stop his apparent enthusiasm for the project in its tracks.
“There is overwhelming objection by landholders,” Mr Brown said. “In fact, it is unanimous.”
Mr Brown said he did not oppose rail trails in principle, and he knew of support for them in the Northern Rivers region and around Cowra.
But in places like Tumbarumba, Tumut, Gundagai, Crookwell and Captains Flat there is strong opposition to them, he claims.
“What we will be saying to the Minister is that instead of going through a costly feasibility study, consult with the landholders first because they have a pre-eminent interest and they are the ones at the coal face if a rail trail goes in,” Mr Brown said.
“The Tumbaruma one is a classic; it will not go ahead because the adjoining landholders will not tolerate it.”
John Moore, of Rail Trails NSW, rejected Mr Brown’s arguments.
“I repeat what I have said before: with more than 100 rail trails throughout Australia involving 150 councils and shires over the past 20 years issues regarding landholder concerns have been resolved,” he said.
He denied claims Victoria was different because its rail corridors adjoined roads and did not affect farms.
“I have ridden seven of them and they all go through farms,” Mr Moore said.