Traditional owners

We acknowledge the Bundjalung  people, the traditional custodians of the land and waterways on which the rail trail is built.

Development and future of the rail trail 

The railway line was officially closed by NSW Parliament in October, 2020, paving the way for construction of the rail trail to begin in 2022

Stage 1 from Murwillumbah to Crabbes Creek (24 km) opened in March, 2023. It was the second pilot rail trail to be developed in NSW after the Rosewood-Tumbarumba one. It was jointly funded by the NSW and federal governments and in June, 2021, Tweed Shire Council voted to accept the formation tender from Hazel Bros Qld Pty Ltd for $11.7 million. This took the trail to the final design and construction planning stage, with construction beginning in September, 2021.

Stage 2 from Casino to Bentley (13.5 km) was funded by the federal government for $7.5m and opened in March, 2024. The NSW Government gave approval in June, 2021, for Richmond Valley Council to move to the detailed design and construction stage for this section. Construction was managed by council, eliminating the need for a tender process.

Stage 3 at the southern end, 16.3 km from Bentley to Lismore, was also funded by the federal government for $10m and opened in December, 2024.

The trail will be 128 km when completed.

At the end of 2024 funding was being sought to construct the 13 km section from Crabbes Creek to Mullumbimby and the Lismore to Booyong and Bangalow section (34 km). Byron Council was supportive of the project.

The Casino to Murwillumbah Rail Trail Study was commissioned by Ballina MP Don Page following the release of a 2013 transport study. Released in June, 2014, it stated that a rail trail on the Casino to Murwillumbah corridor would have economic benefits to local communities as well as creating employment opportunities. Given the large number of timber bridges and tunnels, the estimated cost of construction was $75 million, with an estimated annual cost for maintenance between $884,000 to $1.15 million; significantly less than the cost of returning trains, and expenditure that would pay for itself within five years.

To see the full report click here

Railway history

The Murwillumbah Line connected Casino (on the Sydney to Brisbane Line) with Lismore, Byron Bay and Murwillumbah. The first section opened between Lismore and Murwillumbah in 1894, connecting the Richmond and Tweed Rivers. Passengers and goods were transported to Sydney by ship from Byron Bay. Nine years later, the section from Lismore to Casino opened (and later to Grafton). It was not until 1932 that the line was fully connected to Sydney.

It became a branch line in 1930 when the North Coast Line was extended from Kyogle to South Brisbane.

It ceased operation in 2004.

Transport For NSW completed a Casino to Murwillumbah Transport Study in 2013, following significant community requests for the return of passenger trains. The study evaluated the feasibility, benefits and costs of reinstating passenger services in the context of the current and future transport needs of people living in the study area, and potential connections to the South East Queensland public transport network.

The study found the line would not meet current or future transport needs and there were no significant opportunities for freight or tourism that could improve its viability. It determined that the rail infrastructure had deteriorated significantly, and more than $900 million would be needed to carry out the work required to ensure the system complied with safety and operating standards for frequent and reliable train services.

The line did not serve the major growth corridor between Lismore, Ballina and Byron Bay or the rapidly growing Tweed region and connections to south-east Queensland. The study recommended investigating improving bus services to provide more people with frequent, cost-effective public transport to key destinations, rather than reinstating the railway line. It suggested increased services on key routes, better integration of timetables between services, changing other routes to include key destinations such as education campuses and hospitals, introducing new express services on the Pacific and Bruxner Highways, and improving passenger information. It recommended that the railway remain closed. The study noted that there was community interest in using sections of the rail line for a rail trail and, subject to stakeholder interest, this could be investigated further to test costs, benefits and feasibility.

To view a 4.3MB PDF of the study click here