Progress Updates
Dream it.
In September 2020 Batlow’s Harald Tietze and Marjory Tomlinson decided it was time to fire up the BatlowTumut Rail Trail proposal again.
Harald was a former Tumut to Batlow Rail Trail Committee member, founder of Batlow Ciderfest and Batlow business identity. Marjory is Greens Spokesperson for Snowy Valleys and Council Candidate, founder of Mountain Made Art & Crafts, and President of Batlow VIEW Club.
They formed a new Committee including Bill Masters and met with Owen Fitzgerald who advised them to apply for a grant of $88,000 for a detailed Development Plan. A Feasibility Study had already been carried out in 2006-7 by Mike Halliburton & Ass.
Fund it.
We decided to apply for a Community bushfire grant. The on-line form wouldn’t let us go past page one unless we were incorporated. To incorporate we had to have a minimum of 5 Committee members. Trish Masters, Anna Quinn, Col Agate and Dale Eder were recruited and Batlow-Tumut Rail Trail Association Incorporated was formed, but incorporation came through 4 hours too late to apply.
We decided to apply for a Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund grant, but the minimum we could apply for was $400,000. We decided to create the Batlow-Tumbarumba Recreation Trail too. Harald and Kevin Murrell had already done some preliminary work on this idea.
Plan it.
An intensive 3 week period of research, meetings, networking, gathering Letters of Support, and writing the application began.
We met with representatives from Resilience NSW, Snowy Valleys Council Bushfire Community Officer and Forest Corp. The latter facilitated written permission for us to use forestry roads.
The recreation trail will connect the scenic Back Kunama Road with Courabyra Road linking the proposed Batlow-Tumut Rail Trail with the existing Tumbarumba Rosewood Rail Trail. The Batlow section needs a 1.8 kilometre boardwalk.
Our application totals $4.77 million. The outcome will be known in June 2021.
Sadly, that grant application was unsuccessful.
24th August 2022 we are applying for another grant for $13,500 to update the 2006 Batlow Tumut Raul Trail Feasibility Study.
This grant application was successful. Michael Halliburton Associates was engaged to update the 2006 Feasibility Study, with Marjory Tomlinson elected as project Manager.
FUNDRAISING
Batlow-Tumut Rail Trail Committee is continuing to fundraise for the project.
Ongoing fundraising includes a Gofundme page Fundraiser by The Batlow Tumut Rail Trail : Detailed development plan Batlow-Tumut Rail Trail (gofundme.com) , street stalls in Batlow, Adelong & Tumut, Bunnings sausage sizzle in Wagga Wagga, membership fees and donations. You can donate by transfer to this account BSB 062371 A/C 10053766 . You can also pay a $20($5 kids) annual membership fee to this account, just reference membership and your last name.
Thank you everyone who supported us so far, and the journey will continue.
In May 2021 we held a logo competition. The winner was Jessica Webster from Tumbarumba. We love our new logo!
RELATED PROJECTS
In March 2021 Snowy Valleys Council carried out community consultation for the redevelopment of the old Batlow Cannery Site. Of the many suggestions published in the Report, the Batlow Tumut Rail Trail, and a trails network were most favourably highlighted.
In 2022 Snowy Valleys Council has commissioned Tredwell to create the Snowy Valleys Tracks & Trails Masterplan. Our project is included in the five priority trails for the Draft Masterplan. Thank you to all our supporters who wrote submissions for the Masterplan. Regional Tracks and Trails Master Plan | Your Voice Snowy Valleys (nsw.gov.au)
BIG LEAP FORWARD JULY-AUGUST 2022
July- August 2022 NSW Government released the Pilot Rail Trails Evaluation. It was so positive that the Hon. Sam Farraway, Minister for Regional Transport & Roads put the Transport Administration Amendment (Rail Trails) Bill 2022 to NSW Parliament. It has now passed into legislation allowing councils to apply to NSW Department of Transport for a lease of up to 30 years to create a rail trail. Rail trail bill passes parliament | Transport for NSW
Government also released the NSW Rail Trails Framework which outlines a clear process for construction of a rail trail. In August 2022 we met with Snowy Valleys Council to discuss the Framework and put two resolutions to the next Council Meeting:
1. That Snowy Valleys Council forms a Steering Committee for Batlow Tumut Rail Trail.
2. That Snowy Valleys Council collaborates with our Committee in a joint grant application to fund the 2006 Feasibility Study update.
NSW Government created a grant opportunity for planning documents which we are applying for, Regional NSW – Business Case and Strategy Development Fund - Round 1 — BCSD1 - 0023 — Batlow Tumut Rail Trail . We have received over 30 Letters of Support including three levels of government - Kristy McBain Federal MP, Dr Joe McGirr State MP, Greater Hume Council, and Snowy Valleys Council. You can send your Letter of Support for our project to btrtcommittee@gmail.com .
We have been collaborating with Mike Halliburton and Associates for our grant applications, and also with Australian Business Volunteers who provide professional grant writers.
2021 SNOWY VALLEYS COUNCIL ELECTION
Chair of Batlow Tumut Rail Trail Association Incorporated, Marjory Tomlinson, is standing for the Snowy Valleys Council election with a view to gaining Council support for the project. Many other candidates among the total of 21 also support the Rail Trail.
Harald Tietze is campaigning for 9 candidates who support the Rail Trail, and we will post his progress here.
The new Snowy Valleys Council is made up of Mayor Ian Chaffey, Deputy Mayor Trina Thomson, Julia Ham, John Larter, James Hayes, Hansie Armour, Sam Hughes, Brent Livermore and Michael Ivill. Most of this Council pledged to support the Batlow Tumut Rail Trail when campaigning.
On February 28th 7pm at Batlow RSL the first AGM of the Batlow Tumut Rail Trails Association Incorporated will be held. There will be two guest speakers from Tumbarumba Rosewood Rail Trail talking about their process, and benefits from their pilot RT. This meeting is open to the general public.
The 2022 Committee is Chair Marjory Tomlinson, Vice Chair Tony Cross, Secretary Oivi Walsh, Treasurer Dale Eder, Ray Billing, Scott Baron, Steve Collins, Kevin Murrell, Susan Newnham.
July 2022, new Treasurer is Scott Baron, new Committee Member and Delegate to Batlow United Community Chamber is Anne Hallard.
21/02/2022 Australian Business Volunteers have supplied a professional grant writer to apply for funding for our planning documents.
24/08/2022 in collaboration with ABV grant writer we will be applying for the Regional NSW - Business Case and Strategy Development Fund Stream One Regional Significance to upgrade the 2006 feasibility study.
2023 Committee doing fieldwork at Wybaleena March 2023
L-R Anne Hallard, Oivi Walsh, Susan Newnham, Scott Baron, Tony Cross, Marjory Tomlinson, Dave Purcell with Jack, Mell Dickson with Sam. Absent Kate Masterson, Fiona Cooper, Sharon Elworthy.
Tumut & Adelong Times Friday, October 20, 2023
Tumut Rail Precinct March 2023
