The Missing Piece of the Puzzle? Rail Trails!
Word is spreading around the world about the terrific mountain biking in Tasmania. The big-name spots like Derby, St Helens and Maydena are complemented by loads of other mini parks around the state. There is plenty of development still in the pipeline, most notably what's happening on Mt Owen in Queenstown.
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| Mountain biking in eastern Tasmania |
Road cycling here in Tassie is also brilliant, especially with the relatively light traffic on most of our secondary roads. Small numbers of self-supported cycle tourists have been visiting the state for decades, and fully supported tour groups are becoming more and more visible. Touring aside, there is great riding to be had for out-of-staters who want to come and spend a period of time in Hobart, Launceston or the northwest and explore local loops.
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| Winter cycling in southern Tasmania |
Another secret about cycling in Tasmania is starting to leak out: the gravel riding in Tasmania is sensational! Locals have known this for years and the new developments in gravel bikes have made exploring the back blocks that much more fun. With our network of fantastic dirt roads - especially in the southern half of the state - this is going to be the Next Big Thing UnderDownunder.
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| Gravelleering in the Tasmanian Midlands |
What this rich tapestry lacks is a significant rail trail network. This sort of development needs significant assistance from local and state governments, especially in a small place like Tasmania. Unfortunately, as usual, our State Government is well off the pace in seeing the future and making it happen. However there is HUGE potential in this area. Check out the rail network in Tasmania (click the image for a larger view):
There are a couple of schemes in the pipeline which would repurpose dormant sections of line that are unlikely ever to be used for rail traffic into the future.
The Dorset Council in northeast Tasmania has plans to build a
40 km rail trail from Lilydale to Scottsdale and has put in a development application for Stage 1. There is significant community consultation to be done to get the proposal across the line but if it goes ahead it would link up with the existing 28 km section between Scottsdale and Billycock Hill, making a total of 68 kms of easy riding compacted gravel trail and add a significant boost to the local economy.
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| The proposed NE Rail Trail will occupy this unused line |
The other significant proposal - which, unfortunately is going nowhere at the moment - is for a rail trail to run
from Granton to Maydena, a journey of about 70 kms. This would be a brilliant journey offering beautiful scenery and the opportunity to visit a huge number of farm gates, cafes and even a brewery along the way. Most of the rail route is inactive and has been so for more than a decade. The section between Granton and Boyer is still operating but there is ample room for a trail to run alongside the tracks, just as the Intercity Cycleway does between Hobart and Glenorchy.
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| The Derwent Valley RT could effectively run all the way from Hobart to Maydena |
The concept involves a 3 stage process but is stalled, particularly because of opposition from
a small group of railway enthusiasts who would like to reinstate a tourist train between Hobart National Park and have the ear of the government.
Both of the proposals above would allow for brilliant family and tourist riding into the hinterland of Tasmania's two major cities. There are small towns along the way that would benefit significantly from this slow-paced sort of tourism.
The Main (Line) Prize
Both of the proposals above would add significantly to cycle tourism in Tasmania. But the major game-changer as far as I'm concerned would be a rail trail between Launceston and Hobart, running alongside Tasmania's "
Main Line":
This route has unbelievable potential for sustained cycling away from traffic and for adding significantly to tourism in towns along the way, particularly in Oatlands (which is actually just off the Main Line - but there is an existing, disused line connecting it with the Main Line). This charming town is a bit sleepy at the moment but is in the process of waking from its slumber. It has the greatest concentration of classic, sandstone Georgian style architecture in Tasmania, much more so than its famous cousin Richmond to the south. There is massive potential for B&B style accommodation and cafe stops for passing cyclists.
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| Classic Oatlands |
A wonderful, relatively leisurely three days of riding taking cyclists back in time could be had riding from Launceston, stopping at
Ross - which also has a wealth of historic buildings - and then Oatlands before arriving in Hobart. In keeping with the theme of a leisurely journey, visitors could easily spend a full day in each of those places and really soak up the atmosphere.
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| Charming Ross |
Creating the Future
This sort of cycle tourism in Tasmania is a dream I have and there must be other people who share that dream. The "
Main Line Cycleway" in particular - because it would run alongside an existing operational railway - would require significant infrastructure commitment, for example creating routes around tunnels, small bridges where rivers are crossed and no doubt a lot of earth moving. However, it has incredible potential for transforming Tasmania from just another place where most tourists merely whizz around in cars and camper vans and don't really make a significant connection with our wonderful island. COVID aside, Tasmania is riding a wave of popularity worldwide. This sort of tourism would help ensure that the wave doesn't just subside but continues to roll forward into the distant future.
Tasmania has already become a destination for cyclists from around the globe, but in very limited numbers. I believe we are in the process of becoming the major cycling mecca in the Southern Hemisphere. With its compactness, unique character and diverse landscapes, Tasmania could draw much bigger numbers of cycling tourists from north of the Equator who are looking for something a bit different and lacking the crowds of Europe. Having a great rail trail network would add to the appeal.
