The Great Victorian Rail Trail (formerly Goulburn River High Country Rail Trail) is the second longest rail trail in Australia (after the 161 km Brisbane Valley Rail Trail in Queensland), following the route of the former railway line from Tallarook, the Mansfield Railway and Alexandra Railway in north central Victoria, Australia, about 100 kilometres (62 mi) north-east of Melbourne. The trail surface is partially granitic sand and partly chert (a kind of gravel).[1]
Officially opened in June 2012, it stretches for 134 km (83 mi) from Tallarook near Seymour, through Trawool, Yea and Bonnie Doon to Mansfield, with an offshoot to Alexandra from Cathkin.[1] Its highlights include the 200-metre (220 yd) Cheviot Tunnel near Yea, views of the Goulburn River, the Heritage listed Trawool Valley and a former rail bridge over Lake Eildon near Bonnie Doon.[1]
The towns passed through by the main rail trail are: Tallarook, Trawool, Kerrisdale, Homewood, Yea, Molesworth, Yarck Archived 12 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine, Kanumbra, Merton, Bonnie Doon Archived 12 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine, Maindample, Mansfield Archived 12 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine. The trail forks near Molesworth, leading to Alexandra Archived 26 January 2014 at the Wayback Machine.
History
On 29 April 2009, the Federal Government announced that it would contribute A$13.2 million from its community infrastructure program out of the estimated total cost of A$14.2 million needed for the completion of the trail as an economic stimulus and as part of the recovery effort in the wake of the 2009 Victorian bushfires. The money was spent to repair and build bridges, road crossings, car parking, rest stops and amenities.[2]
References
- ^ a b c "Goulburn River High Country Rail Trails - Trail Description". Railtrails Australia Website. Railtrails Australia, Inc. Archived from the original on 23 July 2008. Retrieved 29 April 2009.
- ^ Doherty, Ben; Grattan, Michelle (29 April 2009). "Canberra puts up $13m for rail trail". The Age. Fairfax Digital. Retrieved 29 April 2009.
Rail Trail Bike Tours Archived 12 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine
External links
- www.greatvictorianrailtrails.com.au - Official site
- Rail Trails of Australia
- Trail Services Archived 12 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine
- Goulburn River High Country Rail Trail map at Railtrails Australia Archived 23 July 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- Bikely map Archived 31 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine
Geographic data related to Great Victorian Rail Trail at OpenStreetMap
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