Community determination and fund raising efforts has paid dividends, with the Castlemaine-Maryborough Rail Trail being the beneficiary of a feasibility report grant. The Victorian government’s Enabling Tourism Fund will invest $120,000, adding to locally committed funds, to enable an investigation into the proposed 55km rail trail.
Both the Mount Alexander Shire and Central Goldfields Shire had both previously committed study funding for this proposed trail located within both municipalities, which was then matched by the on-line fund raising efforts driven by the community group Friends of the Castlemaine-Maryborough Rail Trail.
With the proposed trail to connect the towns of Castlemaine, Campbells Creek, Guildford, Newstead, Carisbrook and Maryborough, the economic tourism benefits for those town’s businesses will be one of the feasibility study’s critical matters to be investigated. The popularity of walking and cycling by local community members, as well as the growing active tourist market being attracted to regional areas, are both positive factors in favour of this rail trail’s development.
Exciting times are ahead for this proposed trail, which can be attributed to the continuing efforts of key individuals being supported by the local councils and communities.