Appeals against Launceston Council’s approval of the extension of the North East Rail Trail on its land have been dismissed, paving the way for the full project to proceed between Scottsdale and Lilydale Falls.
The Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal heard the development applications appeals from local residents in early August and delivered its decision this week.
The appeals were on two grounds: that the council should have referred the development application to the Board of the Environment Protection Authority, and the crushing of railway ballast to build the trail would unreasonably impact the water quality of nearby watercourses.
The tribunal dismissed both grounds but ordered Launceston Council to amend its development approval permit to reflect the evidence and conditions discussed at the hearing, which included protecting watercourses from contamination, within 14 days.
The full decision will be published on Friday 1 September on http://www8.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdb/au/cases/tas/TASCAT/
Next steps
The trail extension is a Dorset Council project which begins on its land but finishes on Launceston Council land so a development application to each council was required. Dorset Council approved its development application in 2021, and an appeal against it was heard and dismissed later in that year.
The full project can now proceed unless the appellants take their case against Launceston Council to the Supreme Court.
The next steps for Dorset Council are to apply to the Minister for Infrastructure for permission to remove the rail infrastructure and to start the tender process to find a contractor to carry out the work.
The trail appears in the council’s draft Priority Projects 2023–25 document released this month but was not costed. The council received an extension in September 2020 to a $1.47 million funding grant from the Australian Government to build the trail.
Dorset Council was suspended and a Commissioner appointed on 2 August this year. The effect of this on the progress of projects such as the rail trail is unclear.
The first scheduled meeting of the council since the commissioner was appointed is scheduled for 18 September.
Rail operations
In 2018 the Tasmanian Government made the decision that a rail trail extension would stop at Lilydale Falls and that the remaining rail line would be available for recreational train enthusiasts towards Launceston.
The Launceston and North East Railway group announced this month that it had built three “rail bugs” (four-seater carts users pedal to move along rails) to be used on 3.3km to raise money for a train. The group received a $20,000 government grant to build a shed at Turners Marsh, which was finished and opened this month.
In its submission to the 2018 Legislative Council inquiry, the group said the tracks were in good enough condition to run a slow-speed tourist rail and only needed minor repairs.
It also said it had spent $125,000 restoring a rail car and had $2.5 million in investor pledges to get a tourist rail up and running.