IT’S a 200km stretch of abandoned rail line snaking through some of the most breathtaking wilderness in the region.
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The Armidale to Tenterfield rail passage, which has been gathering weeds for quarter of a century, is a testament to a bygone era, when train travel – not road trains – was the ultimate form of transportation.
Despite the nostalgic view of a misty-eyed few, the chances of it being resurrected as a viable rail corridor are slim to none.
Which makes a proposal to reinvent the track as a tourist attraction eminently enticing.
The “rail trail” proposal would see the stretch of track transformed into a gravel road, suitable for walkers, cyclists, horse riders and runners.
As similar projects have proved in Victoria and New Zealand, the trails are a magnet for families, schools, community groups and history buffs.
They are a living, breathing piece of history, opening up a fascinating new pathway connecting towns and historic landmarks.
And at a time when regional councils are clamouring for ways to diversify their economies, they add a fresh dimension to towns and villages.
The construction of the trail is straightforward.
The existing rail formation already provides good drainage – add a sprinkle of government funding and a bit of hard yakka and you have an instant tourist attraction.
But the overwhelming positives of the project haven’t stopped the predictable chorus of critics.
A lobby group has been formed to oppose the trails, with members claiming they will whitewash history and pose privacy and biosecurity risks for landholders.
While whacking tonnes of gravel over a historic tract of rail might seem like an affront to our forefathers, those men that built it did so because they believed in progress.
And allowing a disused rail line to sit idle while it could be working for the community is anything but progressive.