Name: Pioneer Rail Trail
Rating: 3.3

Go Back To Trail Finder

Rail Trail
On Road
Potential RT
Other Trail
Former Railway

Why visit the Pioneer Rail Trail?

View Map

There are several vineyard cellar doors in the area
Oberon’s a nice town to visit
If you’re a fan of Czech cars, this is the place
Show your support for the heritage railway

Nearby Attractions

Oberon Railway Museum
Skoda and Tatra Museum
Jenolan Caves
Mayfield Gardens and restaurant
Blue Mountains
Wolgan Valley Rail Trail

Trail Guide

Last updated: 4 January 2026

This railside trail is sealed and family friendly, suitable for all kinds of bicycles, mobility scooters and prams. Interpretive signs explain the history of the railway line and the region. It extends for 6 km and the gradient is gentle. It meanders through Central Tablelands farming country between Oberon and Hazelgrove.

The Oberon Tarana Heritage Railway group is proposing to run trains on the line but continues to battle red tape.

Section Guides

Oberon to Hazelgrove (6km)

The beautiful railway station looks ready to resume services. It is open at various time
There are several museums at the station, including one for Skoda and Tatra cars. Now that’s something you don’t see everyday
After leaving the railway station precinct, the trail passes a tourist information area before you reach uncontrolled crossings of Albion St and Lowes Mount Rd. Take care
To the east is a giant pine products factory, the primary employer in Oberon, attended by numerous trucks
The trail then meanders through the farmland of the Central Tablelands between Oberon and Hazelgrove
The tracks at Hazelgrove Station have been re-laid to include a passing loop and there are restored track switches, but the area is fenced off awaiting the all-clear for heritage trains to operate.

Photo Gallery

The trail from Oberon Railway Station is now overgrown [2009]

Giant pine products factory dominates the skyline near Oberon [2025]

Never mind the chat, watch out for the photographer [2009]

Bribery on open display within this group near Oberon [2025]

Younger families can enjoy this trail without going too far [2008]

Dilapidated signal box between Oberon and Hazelwood [2025]

The trail is fine for walking but take plenty of water on hot days [2009]

Get Around

Trains to Tarana, on the Blue Mountains Line (BMT) to Bathurst, take over three hours, passing the famous Zig Zag Railway. Hazelbrook Station on the BMT line should not be confused with Hazelgrove on the rail trail, unless you wish to ride or walk over 100 km to get there.

Do you know of a bike hire or transportation service on this rail trail that should appear here? If so, let us know at admin@railtrails.org.au.

Advertise your business here

Stay

Advertise your business here

Eat

Advertise your business here

Reviews

Leave a Review Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a review.

4 reviews of “Pioneer Rail Trail”

57/70 Beautiful town with a good vibe (low unemployment). The museums are well worth a look at the railway station.

I rode the PIONEER RAIL TRAIL OBERON on the 21st of July.
As mentioned below in the other comments, the condition of the trail is now not the same as indicated in the pictures although still easily rideable with no problems.
Oberon Council (or whom ever is responsible for the trail) should put some TLC into this with some scheduled inspection and maintenance events.
A concrete pathway begins at the Oberon Rugby Leagues Football Club and this continues onto the rest of the trail but the pathway and signage is poor from the Oberon Station prescient to the Leagues Club.
It is not as if you could get lost but certainly could be better done.
The pathway from the Old Oberon Station is gravel overgrown with grass.
I found the old signal house and some greats photo's taken.
If you are around Oberon, certainly have fun on the shortish ride.

Rode along the trail today, 27/4/23. Pleasant ride through the countryside. Great photo opportunity at the old signal house.

Obviously the trail is not well used or maintained. It looked nothing like the photos from 2008/09, and has a bush trail feel to it with a lot of grass growing through the bitumen and tree debri. Still a fun ride and we got to the end all too quickly.

It was hard to determine where the trail actually started in Oberon. In the end we figured it starts at the concrete path on the opposite side of the road to the old railway station. There’s a new concrete pathway for the first km past Borg complex then it’s the original bitumen path.

Lots of riding around Oberon township and out to lake etc. to extend the kms ridden.

I walked this trail this afternoon (28/3/16) – it is a nice trail through the surrounding farmland. The trail surface is sealed the whole way, but in poorer quality the closer you are to the Hazelgrove station. There were a few other people on the trail, and it’s clear that horses use the path. It was a good day out, I found the best part being away from the roadside, pity the trail isn’t longer.

Further Information

Information and Links

To report any issues go here

To find out more about the railway, try here

Contact Rail Trails Australia

To contact us about this rail trail, email nsw@railtrails.org.au

Background Information

Traditional Owners

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

Rail Trail development

The Oberon Council established the Oberon-Tarana Rail Corridor Committee to oversee the development of an overall plan for the railway and ensure all stakeholders were involved.

The council is planning additional cycleways around the town, including a 20 km cycling/walking loop that connects with Hazelgrove Station, and through the Blenheim Forest and back to Oberon via Hazelgrove Rd.

Railway history

This 6 km railside trail is part of a 24 km branch line that went inland from the main western railway (now Blue Mountains Line) at Tarana to Oberon, 1100m above sea level. It opened in 1923 and closed in 1979.

Due to the line’s steep grades and numerous curves it was reportedly infamous for being the slowest route in NSW, but these features make for a great rail trail.

News

Trail descriptions are maintained by volunteers. Please consider a donation to help improve this website. Rail Trails Australia gets no government funding.