The rail trail to Ladysmith will not be a reality anytime soon, after Wagga Council decided not to back the project. Photo: Facebook/Rail Trail Australia.
Less than a fortnight after Wagga Wagga City Council (WWCC) announced it would not be endorsing a rail trail for Ladysmith, it has received a nearly-$5 million grant to build a cycling and walking path from Kooringal to Springvale.
According to the business papers unveiled on the WWCC website, the council has received $4,892,415 in funding through the State Government Transport for NSW Get NSW Active 2025-26 program.
The plans for the trail “will connect the Southern Growth Area into the existing Active Travel network, starting at Rowan Rd and ending at Kooringal Red Hill Road intersection,” the papers read.
“The proposed project also includes multiple road crossings at Stirling Boulevard, Brindabella Drive, Springvale Drive and Lloyd Road and a pedestrian bridge at Crooked Creek.
“The $4,892,415 in funding through the NSW Government Transport for NSW Get NSW Active 2025-26 program will fully fund the Plumpton Road Active Travel Pathway project. There is no financial contribution required by council. Once constructed, the required maintenance of this active travel section will be incorporated into future Long Term Financial Plan budgets.”
The announcement comes only 10 days after WWCC elected not to proceed in the short term with a trail from Wagga to Ladysmith.
While the current high-level construction cost estimated for the proposed trail ranges from $16.8 million to $19.65 million, the cost to research the project, which WWCC elected not to do, sits at $240,000.
Currently, as part of WWCC’s Active Travel Plan, there are no plans to connect Ladysmith to Wagga Wagga.
While the costs for the Ladysmith Trail are projected to be four to five times those of the Springvale/Plumpton Rd plans, WWCC has confirmed it has not begun to even seek funding or create plans for a rail trail.
Cr Amelia Parkins, who supported the development of the Lady Smith rail trail at last month’s council meeting, clarified the differences between the rail trail plan and the active travel plan, saying a great deal of work had to be done before the rail trail funding could be sought out.
“We’re not even close to the point of putting footpaths in an area where the rail trail will go,” she said.
“So it’s not like we’re taking funding that could have been used for the rail trail and putting it into active travel, it’s important to make that differentiation. In saying that, I can completely understand why the people of Ladysmith and Humula can feel like they’re getting kicked while they’re down with the timing of this announcement.
“Council’s not responsible for the timing of grant funding being provided. But it also shows just how important it is that council, if we are serious about supporting a rail trail, which is what all of the councillors, or most of the councillors, said that they are, work towards a business case and a concept plan, so that council can then apply for the same type of funding through Transport for New South Wales.
“The timing is definitely unfortunate, but we won’t just say no to nearly $5 million for active travel.”
