THE Great Southern Rail Trail cycling and walking track will be extended from Welshpool to Alberton, filling one more gap in a grand plan to connect the 475 kilometres of existing rail trail corridors throughout Gippsland.
Funding of $6 million for the extension was announced this week by the state Minister for Regional Development Mary-Ann Thomas.
This is in addition to the $2 million in funding announced by Gippsland federal MP Darren Chester MP for the East Gippsland Rail Trail.
The extension to Alberton will create a continuous trail of 99 kilometres from Leongatha to Yarram.
In a coordinated regional effort, South Gippsland and Wellington Shire Councils submitted a joint application for funding, which was supported by One Gippsland alliance of councils through ongoing state and federal advocacy.
Funding of $6 million for the extension was announced this week by the state Minister for Regional Development Mary-Ann Thomas.
This is in addition to the $2 million in funding announced by Gippsland federal MP Darren Chester MP for the East Gippsland Rail Trail.
The extension to Alberton will create a continuous trail of 99 kilometres from Leongatha to Yarram.
In a coordinated regional effort, South Gippsland and Wellington Shire Councils submitted a joint application for funding, which was supported by One Gippsland alliance of councils through ongoing state and federal advocacy.
One Gippsland Chair and Bass Coast Mayor Brett Tessari said the announcement was a big step in the right direction, “after some very challenging years of natural disasters and economic shocks”.
“As a key industry for Gippsland, tourism investment is essential to our economic recovery from the effects of COVID, bushfires, storms, flooding and drought” Cr Tessari said.
The Great Gippsland Trail includes a range of track projects within the overarching project, most notably The Great Southern Rail Trail which currently stretches 71 kilometres from Leongatha to Port Welshpool.
Further extensions proposed by One Gippsland include the Leongatha to Korumburra link ($3 million) and the Korumburra to Nyora extension ($3 million).
The Great Gippsland Trail will make use of existing off-road tracks, roads less travelled and the rail network to link visitors from north to south and west to east, making the whole of Gippsland accessible by bike and providing visitor access to villages and towns along its route.
Destination Gippsland is seeking a total of $84.13 million to complete the project including $15 million for the proposed Bass Coast Dinosaur Trail from San Remo to Inverloch.
This trail will intersect at key points with the Yallock-Bulluk Marine Coastal Trail. Key sites, including six major art works, will be accessible by car, foot or bike, encouraging visitors to step in and out of the Dinosaur Trail experiences and interact with local businesses and accommodation offerings.
Tourism currently attracts more than 7 million visitors a year to Gippsland, is worth over $1.1 billion annually and employs more than 13,000 people.
One Gippsland anticipates the regional tourism sector could grow to contribute $1.5 billion annually but to achieve this Gippsland will need to attract an additional 270,000 visitor nights each year.
“As a key industry for Gippsland, tourism investment is essential to our economic recovery from the effects of COVID, bushfires, storms, flooding and drought” Cr Tessari said.
The Great Gippsland Trail includes a range of track projects within the overarching project, most notably The Great Southern Rail Trail which currently stretches 71 kilometres from Leongatha to Port Welshpool.
Further extensions proposed by One Gippsland include the Leongatha to Korumburra link ($3 million) and the Korumburra to Nyora extension ($3 million).
The Great Gippsland Trail will make use of existing off-road tracks, roads less travelled and the rail network to link visitors from north to south and west to east, making the whole of Gippsland accessible by bike and providing visitor access to villages and towns along its route.
Destination Gippsland is seeking a total of $84.13 million to complete the project including $15 million for the proposed Bass Coast Dinosaur Trail from San Remo to Inverloch.
This trail will intersect at key points with the Yallock-Bulluk Marine Coastal Trail. Key sites, including six major art works, will be accessible by car, foot or bike, encouraging visitors to step in and out of the Dinosaur Trail experiences and interact with local businesses and accommodation offerings.
Tourism currently attracts more than 7 million visitors a year to Gippsland, is worth over $1.1 billion annually and employs more than 13,000 people.
One Gippsland anticipates the regional tourism sector could grow to contribute $1.5 billion annually but to achieve this Gippsland will need to attract an additional 270,000 visitor nights each year.