Wagga to Ladysmith Rail Trail proposal opposed by local farmer and NSW Farmer's Association

Last week, council gave its support for a proposed rail trail to be constructed between Wagga and Ladysmith that would convert disused tracks into a corridor for pedestrians and cyclists, pending community consultation and funding routes.

The decision was made off the back of the successful opening of a pilot trail between Tumbarumba and Rosewood last year.

Landowner Daryl Schipp's farm lies on the route, and he believes it would be more invasive even than the original trains.

"If you've got a time each day when a train goes through and people are inside it, it's a far different scenario to anyone riding through at any time of the day or night," he said.

"Who is going to keep people on the path? This would give people direct access onto my property."

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He and other landowners feel stressed by the resurfacing of the project, which has been discussed for more than a decade.

"It's going to disrupt our business dramatically because the railway line that goes through our place is not fenced off, it's open to the paddock," he said.

"I can't dictate to my cows when they calve, and how do I go spraying weeds and pests?"

Supporters of the trail say there is widespread community support for the project, evidenced by the 236 people who signed a petition for it. They argued earlier this week that the trail would boost business and encourage tourism.

However, NSW Farmers' representative Alan Brown said his discussions with landowners paint a different picture.

"The sentiment is 100 per cent negative and that's from landowners, not just farmers," Mr Brown said.

"They all have built assets close to the rail corridor never assuming there would be a rail trail."

Mr Brown said the association does not consider the proposed route a viable rail trail because of the amount of private farming land impacted and the associated biosecurity risks of having people walk or cycle through active fields, potentially introducing new weeds or diseases to livestock.

He rejected the case for tourism as well, saying the Ladysmith route and destination is not scenic enough to attract visitors.

President of Cycle Wagga Wagga Emilie Graham, who regularly uses the route from Wagga to Ladysmith, disagreed that it was unattractive.

"Having ridden the Wagga to Ladysmith route on a weekly basis, when you take a look at the view, the canola fields in the spring time and the big skies, the bird life that is there, it is picturesque," she said.

"It's about the journey, it's not just the destination."

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