AUSTRALIA’S LONGEST RAIL TRAIL
Laying claim to the impressive accolade of “Australia’s longest rail trail”, the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail (known colloquially as the BVRT) winds its way through 161km of picturesque, continually changing landscape, steeped in history and boasting a sequence of conveniently located, classically Queensland country towns.
The Brisbane Valley itself is already a well-established visitor destination benefitting from a wealth of natural and cultural heritage assets, including the Brisbane River, Lakes Wivenhoe and Somerset and a network of forests and open farmland. The BVRT presents another great option for visitors to South East Queensland to discover the region, whether that be on foot, by bike or on horseback, over an afternoon, a day, a weekend or a full on week-long adventure.
The BVRT is as diverse as it is challenging as it is long. The trail already plays host to an array of activities and events, undertaken and attended by a fantastical mix of trail users. Travelling along one short section of the trail you may well encounter any of the following: families of walkers and cyclists, horse riders, school groups, end-to-end (and possibly back again) enduro cyclists, dog walkers, bird watchers, trail runners, a pedalling poet, heavy horse drawn wagon tours, adaptive mountain bikers, guided llamas (not entirely sure who is guiding who), gravel grinders, environmentalists and heritage enthusiasts, young and old. Be sure to keep an eye skywards as you may well soon be joined by a free-falling formation of skydivers from the local airfield.
Recent completion of the final section of trail between Toogoolawah and Moore brings to a close the first epic chapter of this story (getting the trail on the ground), and heralds the next; where to from here?
Over the next few months Tredwell will be working with the Department of Transport and Main Roads, together with key stakeholders, to develop a strategic plan for the trail. The intention of the BVRT Strategic Plan is to bring together all the various key stakeholders, establish a common vision, articulate long term goals, address current challenges and identify future opportunities associated with the trail and its community.
It really does look like the BVRT is shaping up to be one of THE rail trail experiences in Australia, offering an amazingly diverse range of trail adventures with rewarding challenges for everybody, from novice trail-ers to the most fanatical endurance junkies out there.
Exciting times ahead…watch this space…or even better experience this trail for yourself.
