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Register for news updatesStage One of Pioneer Valley Rail Trail Opens
“Open it and they will come”. Or is it “open it, then we’ll make it good?” These 2 statements were read out for the official opening of Pioneer Valley Rail Trail near Mackay in Queensland on Saturday 26 July.
Volunteer Pioneer Valley Rail Trail Group Inc. president Mike Browne said the committee is thrilled to open the trail after 5 years of hard labour and many thousands of hours donated by volunteers.
“Stage one is 40 km and made up of 31 km of very quiet, picturesque, rural roads and 9 km of disused rail track network,” he said.
The launch was attended by state members of parliament, the mayor of Mackay Regional Council and councillors, and the lessor, Mackay Sugar Limited, whose CEO cut the ribbon.
Other guests included the rail trail’s major sponsors and many donors of plant, equipment and hard goods attended together with walkers, runners, horse and bike riders.
According to Mike Browne, Stage 2 is a further 5 km made up of about half disused rail corridor with the balance a live rail network that is going to be a challenge to open safely.
“The committee is also investigating the replacement of one missing bridge over Barkers creek and two old standing timber bridges, with deviation the name of the game until investigations and funding give us a solution.”
For more information see their Facebook page here.
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3 comments on “Stage One of Pioneer Valley Rail Trail Opens”
Please include details of where the new trail is from and to.
Doesn't come up in the trail search, and useless including an article of a new track opening with no pertinent information.
Hi Ian
We have clarified that it is near Mackay in the paragraph. We do note that there always was a direct link in the first paragraph to the trail description and if you type "Pioneer Valley" into our search bar the trail description is the first option with full details of this new rail trail.
Please include details of where the new trail id from and to.
Doesn't come up in the trail search, and useless including an article of a new track opening with no pertinent information.