Bob Kirk proposes fresh look at Goulburn Mulwaree rail trail

It comes after Upper Lachlan Shire Council withdrew its financial support for a 56km long trail to Crookwell.

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Cr Bob Kirk, who chaired the Goulburn to Crookwell rail trail committee, said it was time to start afresh. At Tuesday night's council meeting he suggested that the abandoned rail track could connect with Goulburn's shared pathways along the Wollondilly and Mulwaree Rivers.

He argued the pathways were hugely popular, with some 25,000 people walking past the Wollondilly Riverwalk near Joshua Street in the six months to June.

"The opportunity exists...to extend our active transport and recreational facilities within GMC and to potentially deliver the rail trail all the way to Crookwell, should the project win support from Upper Lachlan Shire Council in the future," he said.

It could include connections at the railway bridge near Riversdale, travel out to Bradfordville, near the race club and extend north to Norwood Road before looping back into Goulburn, past Kingsdale Road. He has also suggested a western pathway, off Chinamans Lane and running beside the Wollondilly River back into Goulburn.

It's not set in concrete. Cr Kirk said it was just one option in what could ultimately be a staged approach.

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Following a 45-minute debate on Tuesday, which included dissent, the council endorsed his motion to apply for a Regional NSW grant of up to $150,000 to develop a new business case for a rail trail.

A new steering committee will also be established to investigate "all options and opportunities for rail trail development within Goulburn Mulwaree with possible links to other LGAs."

General manager Aaron Johansson will prepare terms of reference and call for expressions of interest from the community to serve on the committee. Nominations close on August 23. Crs Kirk and Michael Prevedello will be members.

The committee's formation is just one criteria in the state government's recently released Rail Trail Framework document. It sets out requirements for their set-up, consultation and ongoing operation.

Cr Kirk acknowledged that much had changed since 2014 when his committee was formed to investigate the Goulburn to Crookwell rail trail.

The state government was now insisting on a sealed rail trail, sections of the rail corridor had been removed, construction costs had risen and depreciation had to be considered.

"All of that will be part of the feasibility and business case so we can assess whether we go ahead with it or not," Cr Kirk said.

"The (state's) guidelines set out that you must build a viable case. All of the work we've previously done will be revised and I expect a report to come back and say this is the total proposal and it can be delivered in stages."

The study would also be shared with Upper Lachlan Shire for it to decide whether it wanted to be involved or not.

If the grant application was unsuccessful, it was "back to the drawing board." Cr Kirk did not propose for the council to fund it instead. The rail trail itself would also depend on grant funding.

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He said the project still enjoyed support from the Friends of Goulburn to Crookwell Rail Trail group.

"The result of Upper Lachlan's decision has been a significant increase in support for the proposal in face-to-face interaction with the community, in the press and social media," he stated in his notice of motion to Tuesday night's meeting.

"However, as expected, there has been a small but vocal increase in opposition to the proposal."

But several councillors, including Mayor Peter Walker, said while they supported a rail trail there were too many questions.

"There were things that Upper Lachlan Council was critiqued for (in rejecting the rail trail) but I do understand their concerns," he said.

He argued the council needed to consider the financial sustainability of a $10m to $15m rail trail in Goulburn Mulwaree, its depreciation and maintenance, biosecurity and any zoning changes needed. Cr Walker called for deferral until a briefing session could be arranged.

"I think we are going too early," he said.

Cr Andy Wood agreed, saying the steering committee should only be established if the grant was successful.

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He questioned the level of consultation with landowners and whether the council would foot any of the cost.

"I think the rail trail people need to do more homework before we put money into this," he said.

"...We've completed the new performing arts centre and the aquatic centre and I don't think we should be stretching ourselves further, especially when we don't know how far we're going in."

He proposed an amendment to defer the steering committee's formation until after the grant application result was known. However this was unsuccessful.

Cr Kirk countered that all these questions about affordability and more would be answered in the feasibility study and business case, which should be allowed to run its course.

"I accept there are a lot of questions and if the report comes back and says it's not feasible, I'll accept that," he told The Post.

"But equally, if it is feasible, we have to decide what we do next... In 2015, the Goulburn to Crookwell rail trail was estimated to inject $3m to $4m annually into the regional economy based on 30,000 users. We don't get too many economic drivers like that come our way so I think it's incumbent on us to investigate it."

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