The opening of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail earlier this year was a milestone for bike riders and walkers in NSW, but even the local council hadn't expected it to prove such a big hit.
When the first section of the trail opened in March, counters were placed along the 24km leg between Murwillumbah and Crabbes Creek.
The Tweed Shire Council hoped to attract 27,000 people a year to its section of the trail, but user counts reveal that 70,500 people used it in the first four months.
“I am really proud to confirm that since its opening on 1 March 2023, the Tweed section of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail (NRRT) has welcomed approximately 70,551 people, which is an amazing achievement,” says Mayor of Tweed Shire Chris Cherry.
“Our Rail Trail is welcoming an average of 17,638 people per month, which is approximately 4048 people per week, or an average of 578 people per day.
“The original business case for the Tweed section of the NRRT referenced goals of 27,000 people per year which is equivalent to 9000 people in the first four months. We have absolutely smashed that goal, attracting more than double the anticipated annual number of visitors in our first four months alone."
The council says 87 per cent of trail users have also spent money at a local business.
“We knew the Rail Trail would be extremely popular and there was a lot of interest in this facility, but this has blown us away,” says Cherry.
The council's survey data also indicates that 94 per cent of users are likely to return, and the project is set to become more popular as it extends.
The Northern Rivers Rail Trail will span 132km once complete, winding from Crabbes Creek to Byron Bay before heading inland to Lismore and Casino.
Cherry says some sections still need funding and are undergoing feasibility studies, but the exciting early exciting results should provide the other councils with impetus to keep the project going.
“Many businesses along the Rail Trail have told us about their successes and we are continually working on trail improvements and addressing some of the impacts the trail's popularity has had on the local villages," says Cherry.