There’s a new path to take in The Tweed with the launch this week of the Tweed section of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail in northern NSW.
Covering a 24 kilometre stretch of countryside in the Tweed’s lush valley, the Tweed trail connects via the townships and villages of Crabbes Creek, Mooball, Burringbar, Stokers Siding, Dunbible and Murwillumbah, all once key train station stops along the original railway line, built in 1894.
The Tweed trail is the first section of the full 132 kilometre Northern Rivers Rail Trail to open and is set to welcome walkers, runners and cyclists from near and far to breathe in nature, explore country towns and immerse in the region’s rich agri-tourism offerings, from farm-gates to foodie hot spots.
The trail features 2 tunnels and 26 bridges, with 16 of these on the track itself, which comprises both sealed and gravel sections.
Bradley Nardi, General Manager of The Tweed Tourism Company, said the Tweed section of the rail trail provides a strong hook to get visitors outdoors in the Tweed and immersed in the region’s nature, food and wellness offerings.
“This fantastic new trail for the Tweed will not only entice new visitors to the region, it also provides another great reason for our regular visitors to return and deepen their love of the Tweed.”
“We know that nature, food, art and culture are top on the list for our visitor markets and this new Tweed section of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail will deliver all of this along with a fresh new way to do wellness in the Tweed.”
“Cyclists, runners and walkers alike will love exploring the trail, which passes through some of the Tweed’s most beautiful valley villages and landscapes. There are historic tunnels and bridges to discover and experiences such as farm visits, local cafes and cultural exhibitions to bring the trail to life.”
Visitors are being encouraged to stop and explore along the way and plan their trail getaway to spend time in galleries and meet local artists, dine out in award-winning restaurants and learn more about the people, history and culture of the Tweed.
For those arriving without their own wheels, bike hire, including e-bikes, is easy with cycle hubs at each end of the Tweed trail, in Mooball and Murwillumbah.
Construction of the Tweed section of the Rail Trail has been developed by the Tweed Shire Council with construction jointly funded by the NSW and Australian Governments and includes $7.8 million from the NSW Government (Regional Tourism Infrastructure Fund), $6.5 million from the Australian Government and an additional $600,000 from the NSW Government to cover the cost of operations and maintenance for the first three years.
The not-for-profit community group, Northern Rivers Rail Trail Inc, drove the grassroots campaign that activated the Rail Trail project, with a vision to preserve the disused rail corridor as a nature-based asset for the region’s residents and visitors.
For detailed information to plan a ride on the Rail Trail, head to: northernriversrailtrail.com.au
To plan a Tweed holiday including Rail Trail experiences, head to: visitthetweed.com.au/northern-rivers-rail-trail
ENDS
Media enquiries: Louise Terry | lterry@thetweed.com.au | 0419 743 143
The Tweed Tourism Company is the official tourism development and destination marketing agency for the Tweed, and an initiative of Tweed Shire Council. To learn more, head to VisitTheTweed.com.au