Cessnock City Council has submitted an expression of interest application to a NSW Government program to help fund the Richmond Vale Rail Trail project.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Restart NSW Regional Growth – Environment and Tourism Program is available to support environmental and tourism infrastructure projects that will help grow and diversify regional economies in NSW.
The rail trail project would deliver a 34-kilometre shared pathway from Shortland to Kurri Kurri, utilising the former Richmond Vale railway alignment.
The project traverses the Cessnock, Lake Macquarie and Newcastle local government areas.
On that note, council staff recommended against submitting an application to the Restart NSW program, as Newcastle City Council is excluded from the funding program.
Other concerns including that the route is partially on private land, and that conceptual design work and associated cost estimates are yet to be finalised, were noted when the report came to council’s April 19 meeting.
But councillor Anne Sander moved to go ahead with the expression of interest application and was unanimously supported by councillors.
“This is a state-significant project, and funding is needed,” Cr Sander said.
“It would put Cessnock on the map. We should throw our hat in the ring.”
Cessnock Council committed $30,000 to the first stage of the project in November.
The Cessnock end of the project is expected to cost about $14 million.
