A Rail Trail is so much more than just a walking track. One day we will surely be wondering how we lived without such a spectacular asset.
Since the decline of the traditional industries of our region, tourism has grown to be the only really significant replacement industry. It underpins the local economy today as timber and dairy had done in the past. As the railway corridor supported the former industries with rail freight services, so again it can support the emerging tourism industry in a way that our forebears could never have imagined. The corridor has been and remains a timeless blessing.
Investors, land owners and business operators with brilliant ideas will be able to offer a myriad of products and services that would be quite compelling for a trail user; a cool drink, a souvenir, a unique experience or a night’s rest. Even beyond the construction period, a considerable surge in jobs will be the direct outcome of the establishment and management of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail.
Perhaps most importantly of all, for we the residents, the rail trail will connect individuals with community, it will be an antidote for loneliness and isolation and a host of other ills that confront contemporary society. It will be infrastructure for healthy future generations.
Spending quality time in a safe, clean, environment, free from noise and traffic hazards, will become a hallmark experience of the beautiful Northern Rivers lifestyle.