Friends of the Bendigo-Kilmore Rail Trail

News items relating to the Friends of the Bendigo-Kilmore Rail Trail group, and associated trails.

June 2023

Rail Trails Australia – O’Keefe Rail Trail Upgrade – RTA News Update 26 June 2023

March 2023

Rail Trails Australia – Improvements for the O’Keefe Rail Trail ‘RTA News Update 1 March 2023

December 2022

• Rail Trails Australia – Castlemaine Marybough Rail Trail Feasibility Study underway – RTA News Update 29 Dec 2022
• Campaspe Shire Council – Rushworth to Murchison Rail Trail – CSC web page

November 2022

• Rail Trails Australia – Friends of the Bendigo-Kilmore Rail Trail hold their AGM – RTA News Update 19 Nov 2022

October 2022

• ABC.net.au – Floods in Axedale 14 October 2022
• The McIvor Times – Lake Water Highlights Rail Trail / Bikes on Buses – Facebook 9 October 2022

August 2022

• Rail Trails Australia – New Facilities for O’Keefe Rail Trail – RTA News 8 Aug 2022

July 2022

• Axedale Antics – Trail Works for the Future – July Edition Issue No. 293 – Page 10

June 2022

• Rail Trails Australia – Volunteers work on the O’Keefe Rail Trail – RTA eNews 25 June 2022

March 2022

• Upper Merri Landcare News – Wallan-Hidden Valley Rail Reserve – a re-discovered gem – 21 Mar 2022
• Kyabram Free Press – Murchison Rushworth Rail Trail to Receive Funding – 21 Mar 2022

February 2022

• Rail Trails Aust – Help Castlemaine to Maryborough Rail Trail – RTA eNews 6 Feb 2022
• Rail Trails Aust – Bikes on Buses Benefits O’Keefe and Maldon Trails – RTA eNews 5 Feb 2022
• Axedale Antics – VicJam 2022 riding the O’Keefe Rail Trail – February Edition P.10 – 30 Jan 2022

January 2022

• Rail Trails Aust – VicJam 2022 ride O’Keefe Rail Trail – RTA eNews 26 Jan 2022
• Rail Trails Aust – Tour de Trail ride along Great Vic Rail Trail – eNews – 19 Jan 2022
• North Central Review – Hidden Valley rail trail works preserving nature – Digital edition – 18 Jan 2022
• Rail Trails Aust – Tumbarumba Rail Trail Benefits Highlighted – RTA eNews – 2 Jan 2022

December 2021

• Rail Trail Connections magazine – Long Gone – p.14 (issue 104) Summer 2021/22 edition
• Rail Trails Australia – A Hidden Gem Exposed for Off-Road Trail – eNews – 8 Dec 2021
• North Central Review – Work to Start Clearing a Wallan to Kilmore Rail Trail Begins – Digital – 7 Dec 2021
• North Central Review – Work to Start Clearing a Wallan to Kilmore Rail Trail Begins – Printed – 7 Dec 2021

November 2021

• Axedale Antics – The Knowsley Forest is Inviting Visitors P.14 – December 2021 edition

October 2021

• Rail Trail Connections magazine – You got to have Friends: Bendigo-Kilmore p.8 Spring 2021 edition
• Rail Trail Connections magazine – Ride2School – p.9 Spring 2021 edition
• Rail Trail Connections magazine – The Rush is On – p.13 Spring 2021 edition

August 2021

• Axedale Antics – New Whistle Posts for the O’Keefe – Issue 283 (pages 7-9) Aug 2021

July 2021

• Rail Trails Australia – New Whistle Posts for the O’Keefe Rail Trail – 19 July 2021
• Bendigo Weekly – New Rail Trail Signage Points the Way – 24 July 2021

May 2021

• Axedale Antics – Students Cycle at Sunrise – Issue 280 (page 5) May 2021

March 2021

• Rail Trails Australia – Ride2School for Heathcote on O’Keefe Trail – 23 March 2021

February 2021

• Axedale Antics – Bikes on Buses for O’Keefe Rail Trail – Issue 277 (page 18) Feb 2021
• Axedale Antics – What on Earth is That? – Issue 277 (page 6) Feb 2021

December 2020

• Rail Trails Australia – Trail Signs for Reserves – 7 Dec 2020

October 2020

• North Central Review – Cycling Investment call – 6 Oct 2020
• North Central Review – Call for Trail Funding – 13 Oct 2020
• North Central Review – Its time to turn the dream into reality – 13 Oct 2020
• McIvor Times – Lions Club Instilling Information – 28 Oct 2020

September 2020

• North Central Review – Mitchell Shire Rezoning – 1 Sept 2020
• North Central Review – Councils invest in trails – 8 Sept 2020
• North Central Review – Cycle Forum Gets Rolling – 8 Sept 2020
• ABC Radio Central Victoria – Rail heritage an asset for popular rail trail – 21 Sept 2020, Facebook
• Rail Trails Australia – Heritage Railway Wagon Display – 22 Sept 2020
• Bicycle Network – Heritage display open on O’Keefe Rail Trail – 24 Sept 2020, Web page ‘Newsroom’

May 2020

• WIN NEWS Bendigo – Trail Usage Increase – 21 May 2020, on-air broadcast and Facebook
• ABC Radio Central Victoria – O’Keefe Rail Trail use increases – 22 May 2020, Anne Marie Middlemast interviews Garry Long, President, Friends of the Bendigo-Kilmore Rail Trail

March 2020

• Shepparton News – Old face makes return to O’Keefe Rail Trail – 1 March 2020 on-line edition
• WIN NEWS Bendigo – Restored Rail Wagon – 4 March 2020 Facebook
• The McIvor Times – Old face makes a return to the O’Keefe Rail Trail – 4 March 2020 on-line edition
• 9 News Central Victoria – Railway Wagon – 5 March 2020 Facebook
• The Bendigo Weekly – Tech, Trikes, and Trails all add to rides – 28 March 2020

June 2019

• The McIvor Times – Rail trail goes user friendly – 27 June 2019 on-line

March 2019

• Bicycle Network – Friends of the rail trail show the way – 13 March 2019 Web page Newsroom
• The Bendigo Weekly – On the Trail – 15 March 2019 edition

February 2019

• The Bendigo Weekly – Connecting Victorian Trails – 22 February 2019 edition

March 2018

• The Bendigo Weekly – Fresh Support for the rail trail – 23 March 2018 edition, p11.
• The Bendigo Advertiser – Proposed Rail trail linking to the O’Keefe one step closer – 26 March on-line edition

February 2018

• The Bendigo Weekly – Rail Trail Link to Wallan Feasible – 23 February 2018 on-line edition

December 2017

• Bendigo Advertiser – Santa leaves a gift for O’Keefe trail – 12 December 2017 0n-line edition

May 2017

• Waranga News – Linking Rushworth to the O’Keefe Rail Trail – 25 May 2017 edition
• The McIvor Times – Trial Run for Trail Connection (Heathcote to Rushworth) – 31 May 2017 on-line edition

April 2017

• The Bendigo Advertiser – Favourites Win Marathon – 24 April 2017 on-line edition
• WIN TV News Bendigo – O’Keefe Rail Trail Marathon – 25 April 2017 web news edition
• The McIvor Times – Hundreds Hit the Rail Trail Marathon – 26 April 2017 on-line edition

February 2017

• WIN TV News Bendigo – Launch O’Keefe Rail Trail events – 9 February 2017 web news edition
• The Bendigo Advertiser – O’Keefe Rail Trail Marathon grows – 9 February 2017 on-line edition
• Rail Trails Australia – Wallan to Heathcote Rail Trail Feasibility Study Feedback – 11 February 2017
• Bicycle Network – Positive prospects for Wallan to Heathcote Rail Trail – 13 February 2017
• North Central Review – Rail trail concerns (Letter to Editor) – 21 February 2017 edition
• The McIvor Times – Residents wary of rail trail project – 22 February 2017 edition (page 3)

August 2016

• The Bendigo Advertiser – Last ditch push for separated bike lane – 16 August 2016 on-line edition
• The Bendigo Advertiser – O’Keefe Rail Trail A Delight – 10 August 2016 edition (page 15)

June 2016

• The McIvor Times – Wayward Concrete Soldier Falls Back Into Line – 1 June 2016 edition
• The McIvor Times – Mine digs up grant – 1 June 2016 edition

May 2016

• The McIvor Times – Thief didn’t leave a mark – 4 May 2016 edition
• The McIvor Times – Marathon effort (page 1) – 4 May 2016 edition. (Photo page 1.)
• The McIvor Times – First marathon was a winner (page 5) – 4 May 2016 edition.

April 2016

• Bendigo Advertiser – Weight off her mind – 26 April 2016 edition, p2.
• The McIvor Times – Rail trail progress is on track for growth – 27 April 2016 edition
• The McIvor Times – Runners prepare for Inaugural marathon – 27 April 2016 edition
• Bendigo Weekly – Putting a name to a place – 29 April 2016 edition
• Bendigo Advertiser – Marathon effort brings race to region – 30 April 2016 edition, p19.
• Bendigo Advertiser – What’s on – O’Keefe Rail Trail – 30 April 2016 edition, p38.

March 2016

• ABC Central Victorian Radio – Feasibility Study begins. ‘Breakfast’ announcer Sian Gard interviews Garry Long
• Bendigo Advertiser – Biking from Bendigo to Melbourne – 11 Mar 2016 edition
• North Central Review- Feasibility Study Begins – 22 Mar 2016 edition

February 2016

• The McIvor Times – Letter to the Editor from Yvonne Wrigglesworth of Axedale – 17 Feb 2016 edition
• The McIvor Times – Letter to the Editor from Garry Long, President FBKRT- 17 Feb 2016 edition

January 2016

• The McIvor Times – Letter to the Editor from Wayne McKay of Heathcote – 27 Jan 2016 edition

December 2015

• The Zoom Quarterly publication article on the O’Keefe Rail Trail – “More than just another bike path” – Issue 16 Sumer 2015/16 (page 3) edition

October 2015

• The McIvor Times article on the construction of the Heathcote Lions Club’s O’Keefe Rail Trail shelter – 21 Oct (page 7) edition.
• The McIvor Times article on the naming of the O’Keefe Rail Trail’s unnamed waterways and bridges – 7 Oct (page 6) edition.

August 2015

• ABC Central Victoria interview Jo Prince interviewing Garry Long. Rail trail spanning creeks needing names – 11 August

July 2015

• Bendigo Weekly article on the naming of the O’Keefe Rail Trail’s unnamed waterways and bridges – 24 July (page 18) edition.

June 2015

• Rail Trail Connections article on the O’Keefe Rail Trail and Friends of the Bendigo-Kilmore Rail Trail – Winter (24 June, pages 6-7) edition

May 2015

• Bendigo Weekly article on the completion of the O’Keefe Rail Trail from Axedale to Heathcote (15 May 2015) for public access – 29 May (page 7) edition.

November 2014

• North Central Review article on the Wallan to Heathcote Rail Trail proposal commitment announcement, in lead up to Victorian State elections – 18th Nov (page 3) edition.

October 2014

• Bendigo Advertiser – Doing his bit for healthy living -21 October 2014 edition – A story on Friends of the Bendigo-Kilmore Rail Trail volunteer member Steve Boswell.

January 2014

• WIN TV News Bendigo – news item about construction of the Axedale McIvor Highway underpass (via Axedale Our Town Our Future website).

January 2013

• North Central Review story about renewed efforts to have the trail extended beyond Heathcote.

November 2011

• Bendigo Weekly article regarding the Friends’ contribution to the J-Cycle program at The Bendigo and District Cycling Club
• Recent Radio PhoenixFM 106.7 interview with Garry Long on the ‘Past Present & Future’ segment (Tuesdays 12:00-1:30pm). The interviewer was John Hall, and the subject related to the original Wallan to Sandhurst (Bendigo) railway line, its railway history, the O’Keefe Rail Trail, and the future vision for a Bendigo-Kilmore Rail Trail.

September 2011

• Bendigo Advertiser story on the recent Friends Spring in the Bendigo Bush ride along the O’Keefe Rail Trail – September 22nd 2011 edition
• Extract from Railtrail Australia’s Rail Trail Connection Spring 2011 magazine edition article “The O’Keefe Rail Trail is going places”. Thanks to Railtrail Australia for kindly permitting us to extract and republish this article here. Please visit the Railtrail Australia website [www.railtrails.org.au] for more information on membership and support of that organisation.
• Extract from Bridge Connection September 2011 edition; “The O’Keefe Rail Trail is going places“

August 2011

• North Central Review cover story regarding the grim outlook for the Pyalong bridges. Text only here.
• Front cover of the Bendigo Council’s ‘Council Plan 2009/13 (2011 update)’ features Friends members riding over the new Sweenies Crk bridge

July 2011

• North Central Review letter to the editor from FOBKRT regarding saving the Pyalong bridges
• North Central Review cover story regarding historic Pyalong bridge under threat. Text only here.

June 2010

• Council newsletter in the Bendigo Advertiser, with photo of Mayor and some of the Friends
• Front page story in the McIvor Times about the funding announcement
• Mayor’s column in the Bendigo Advertiser about the funding
• Announcement in the Bendigo Advertiser of state government funding over three years to get the trail to Heathcote
• Interview with Friends’ representative on ABC Central Victoria following the funding announcement
• Bicycle Victoria’s announcement about the funding

April 2010

• Front page of the McIvor Times about poor state of the trail

March 2010

• Front page of the North Central Review announcing Mitchell Shire’s in-principle support for the Bendigo-Kilmore trail
• Letter from John Fordham to the Axedale Antics about the state of the trail

January 2010

• Bicycle Victoria updates developments on its web site
• Article in the McIvor Times about council decision

December 2009

• The Bendigo Advertiser, Bendigo Weekly and ABC radio report that the City of Greater Bendigo council has voted to seek funding to extend the O’Keefe trail to Heathcote.

October 2009

• Report on the Spring in the Bendigo Bush ride down the O’Keefe Rail Trail, Eddie Barkla’s column in the Bendigo Weekly (PDF copy of the article).

July 2009

• ABC Radio Central Victoria – Jonathan Ridnell interviews Garry Long, Convenor, Friends of the Bendigo-Kilmore Rail Trail.
• The Bendigo Advertiser, Bendigo Miner, McIvor Times and Kilmore Free Press stories about public briefing in Bendigo (all links to PDF copies of the items).
• Jim Evans of the Bendigo Historical Society publishes item about the trail’s history in the Bendigo Miner (PDF copy).

June 2009

• Bicycle Victoria puts news of the new developments on its web site.

May 2009

• North Central Review announces funding for the Goulburn River High Country Rail Trail and the start of lobbying for the Bendigo-Kilmore Rail Trail.
• Item about the plans of the Friends of the Bendigo-Kilmore Rail Trail in the Spring edition of Rail Trails Australia’s Rail Connections magazine.