Wagga to Ladysmith Rail Trail promises tourism boom as council takes next step

Wagga councillors this week reaffirmed their support for the project, voting in favour of undertaking community consultation and seeking government funding, after a petition with more than 1000 signatures was lodged by Wagga Rail Trail Incorporated.

Riverina Trail Incorporated representative John Craig said a pilot trail constructed between Tumbarumba and Rosewood last year could be used as an accurate example of what Wagga's trail could achieve.

"In Rosewood, you had a very small community that wasn't progressing and was likely to lose its general store, which was the only place people could buy milk and bread and basics in that village," Mr Craig said.

"Once the rail trail came along, it made that sort of business much more viable and that meant the community wouldn't lose access to be able to purchase all the basics that they needed."

Mr Craig predicted the Ladysmith general store would benefit in much the same way, and that new businesses would also have the opportunity to get under way.

"Whereas I'm not suggesting the store at Ladysmith is struggling, it could become a lot more viable if we had more tourists and locals visiting there and using the store," he said.

The Ladysmith general store declined to comment on the matter. However, the owner of Rosewood's Gone Barny Cafe, Jenny Murfett, confirmed the village and her business had flourished since their trail arrived.

"The rail trail for us has been a wonderful, wonderful thing," she said.

"I can't believe how many cyclists there are in the world ... up until two [or] three weeks ago we were pretty damn flat out, even in the cold weather they still come. Small towns are needing this sort of thing."

The project has been opposed by some residents and landowners, who have concerns about safety, biosecurity and privacy.

While Wagga Rail Trail Incorporated chairwoman Lisa Glastonbury said the project has widespread support, the NSW Farmers Association's Alan Brown said the community backing has been exaggerated.

"There is not the support they say there is," Mr Brown said, adding that at a community consultation event he attended run by supporters of the trail a few years ago, only 40 of 57 attendees were in favour, the other 17 opposed.

Mr Brown said with the council's existing funding of the Active Travel Plan network and the Pomingalarna precinct, a rail trail would just be an additional cost to an overfunded sector.

Mr Craig said the cost of the project, which would be largely paid for by NSW government funding specifically created for rail trails, is predicted to be recovered very quickly through increased tourism.

"All of the studies today show the cost will be recovered from increased commercial activity by bringing visitors to the area," he said.

Ms Glastonbury said rail trails are known to stimulate growth, with 11 new businesses in Tumbarumba opening since last year.

"When the people start coming, the locals very quickly start to expand their business and make it available to people visiting," she said.

"If a trail going through a small town helps a shop to be viable, then to me that's a great thing for the local community."

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