Toowoomba Regional Council endorses rail trail projects for Westbrook, Oakey

It’s a concept that has worked at sites across the world — now the Toowoomba Regional Council has identified two old rail lines that will be turned into nature trails.

APPROVED: The Toowoomba Regional Council has endorsed feasibility reports to convert decommissioned rail lines at Westbrook-Wyreema and Oakey-Cecil Plains into trails for walking and cycling.

Two of the Toowoomba region’s unused railway lines will be transformed into nature trails for tourists and residents to use, as part of a council plan that could inject millions into the economy.

The Toowoomba Regional Council endorsed feasibility studies into the Westbrook-Wyreema and Oakey-Cecil Plains rail trail projects at the committee meeting on Wednesday.

The plans would turn the old rail corridors into pathways that the council said would “support active lifestyles, and contribute to environmental preservation and management”.

The reports by Mike Halliburton and Associates found both projects were “technically feasible”, with the 5.5km Westbrook-Wyreema trail to drive more local use due to its shorter length, lower construction costs and proximity to growing communities.

The report into the 60km Oakey-Cecil Plains railway line only recommended half the line be converted to a trail, which would run from Oakey to the Mondam Siding just east of Evanslea.

This project has earned support from community groups, including the Friends of the Oakey Cecil Plains Rail Trail group.

The council officer’s report said the projects could deliver $4m worth of economic benefits every year if both trails were built, for an upfront cost of $7.5m to design and build.

“(The trails) may also create diversity in local economies and encourage the growth and creation of small business in the hospitality and tourism sectors,” the report said.

The councillors identified the first trail as the most initially viable project, with the motion amended to include Westbrook-Wyreema for funding of the design in the 2022-23 budget.

Both trails would need external funding to build.