Receive Our Free Email News
Stay up to date with the latest news about Rail Trails with our free email news.
Register for news updatesWalk for Autism along GVRT a fundraising success!
Some 132 walkers converged on the Mansfield end of the Great Victorian Rail Trail (GVRT) on Friday, 26 April with participants raising funds for Mansfield Autism Statewide Services’ expansion of services for autistic children and families at their Mansfield campus.
In teams of two to 10, about 40 walkers took on the 30km challenge while the majority tackled the 15kms as part of the inaugural Lake High – Great Victorian Walk for Autism with walkers raising an impressive $29,960.
According to Event Manager Judy Dixon the walkers came from Queensland, King Island, metropolitan Melbourne, Inverloch, Albury – all over the place. “Some came because they had a family connection to autism and to our service, others because it’s a great social cause with a very tangible outcome and many because it was simply a fabulous excuse to make a ‘long’ weekend of it in Mansfield’s High-Country while being active and social,” she said.
The highest fundraising team went to Wandering Wildflowers, a group of local women who took on the 15km challenge with gusto, raising $2,651. The team’s goal was to of help get autistic children and their families off wait lists. Each of the ten members of the team received a $400 voucher for a High-Country Hiking Tour and a backpack. Abiah Thorp was the highest individual fundraiser who raised $2,405 winning a Global Ballooning voucher worth $350.
Ms Dixon thanked the numerous organisations and individuals that contributed to the success of the event. “Notably the Victorian Government for a grant to assist with the costs of starting the event – one we hope will grow into one of regional significance,” she said. “Based on the glowing feedback, about the fantastic trail, the event organisation, the cause, the vibe and the fun, I’m confident it will become a signature event for Mansfield Autism Statewide Services”.
More News
If you live in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, regional Victoria and NSW, Adelaide and Tasmania and are available to count bik...
Long-standing rail trail supporter Ms Rosamund Lesley Heit has been awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in...
Rail Trails Australia had 289,000 visits to its website in 2025, many by people looking for information on specific rail...
Byron Shire in northern NSW is working on getting approvals and funding for the transition of the 132km rail corridor th...
A 49km rail trail west from New Norfolk to mountain bike park centre Maydena is an exciting proposition from Derwent Val...
Pioneer Valley Rail Trail volunteers Mike and Margie Browne have won an Excellence in Community Project Achievement awar...
Update: as of 25 January 2026, Cycle Dindi 26 has been postponed due to damage to the Great Victorian Rail Trail (GVRT)....
Construction has begun on the next 1.5km stretch of the Yarra Valley Trail in Victoria, which will extend to the Birraru...
We know that rail trails are not exclusively enjoyed by cyclists: horse-riders, runners, walkers and mobility aid users ...
Queensland’s Somerset Regional Council and City of Moreton Bay have confirmed they have undertaken a Multi Criteri...
Hilltops Council is inviting the community to have their say on the Boorowa Galong Rail Trail Concept. The concept explo...
The 2026 Victorian bushfires caused widespread damage to many communities and also severely damaged 2 rail trails in nor...
Northern Tasmania’s Latrobe Council and Kentish Council have released the Latrobe-Kentish Trails Strategy to guide the...
Friends of The Bendigo – Kilmore Rail Trail (FBKRT) continue to improve the O’Keefe Rail Trail, with 2 recent wo...
In December, Logan City Council (bordering Brisbane) decided to proceed with a staged development of the 11.5km section ...
As Rail Trails Australia (RTA) ramps up its efforts to assist New South Wales increase the number of rail trails in the ...
Calendar of Events
See upcoming eventsNews Archives
Receive Our Free Email News
Stay up to date with the latest news about Rail Trails with our free email news.
Register for news updatesFeatured Articles
Celebrating RTA’s Volunteers
26/05/25
More News
If you live in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, regional Victoria and NSW, Adelaide and Tasmania and are available to count bik...
Long-standing rail trail supporter Ms Rosamund Lesley Heit has been awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in...
Rail Trails Australia had 289,000 visits to its website in 2025, many by people looking for information on specific rail...
Byron Shire in northern NSW is working on getting approvals and funding for the transition of the 132km rail corridor th...
A 49km rail trail west from New Norfolk to mountain bike park centre Maydena is an exciting proposition from Derwent Val...
Pioneer Valley Rail Trail volunteers Mike and Margie Browne have won an Excellence in Community Project Achievement awar...
Update: as of 25 January 2026, Cycle Dindi 26 has been postponed due to damage to the Great Victorian Rail Trail (GVRT)....
Construction has begun on the next 1.5km stretch of the Yarra Valley Trail in Victoria, which will extend to the Birraru...
We know that rail trails are not exclusively enjoyed by cyclists: horse-riders, runners, walkers and mobility aid users ...
Queensland’s Somerset Regional Council and City of Moreton Bay have confirmed they have undertaken a Multi Criteri...
Hilltops Council is inviting the community to have their say on the Boorowa Galong Rail Trail Concept. The concept explo...
The 2026 Victorian bushfires caused widespread damage to many communities and also severely damaged 2 rail trails in nor...
Northern Tasmania’s Latrobe Council and Kentish Council have released the Latrobe-Kentish Trails Strategy to guide the...
Friends of The Bendigo – Kilmore Rail Trail (FBKRT) continue to improve the O’Keefe Rail Trail, with 2 recent wo...
In December, Logan City Council (bordering Brisbane) decided to proceed with a staged development of the 11.5km section ...
As Rail Trails Australia (RTA) ramps up its efforts to assist New South Wales increase the number of rail trails in the ...