RVRT Reflections – A Decade Ago

RVRT Reflections – A Decade Ago ​

Facebook Post – RVRT Supporters’ Group – January 25th 2026
https://www.facebook.com/richmondrailtrail/posts/pfbid0xHEwsaWbXQZvqVKi2z9VPqAtwvEMW3LqSvWhxLG4Qwxz5WJoBpaxynVoeEX17js6l

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January is often a month that evokes both resolutions and reflections.
 
While the RVRT has been envisaged for well over a quarter of a century, intensive planning activities began around 2012-13. For example, a multi-party inaugural Richmond Vale Rail Trail meeting was held at the Tom Farrell Institute for the Environment (TFI) in Newcastle on October 18th 2012; concurrently, the three participating Councils initiated an RVRT Feasibility Study in early 2013, funded by a grant from Coal & Allied (Rio Tinto Australia) and undertaken by Mike Halliburton Associates. As illustrated in Pic. A, the Draft version of the Feasibility Study Report was presented to Councils in Sept. 2014.

Pic. A: RVRT Feasibility Study completed in 2013-2014 for the three participating Councils. Rail Trail Plans from Appendix 2.

You can read more about RVRT-related project and historical timelines in our Facebook Post from Sept. 16th 2025 or on our webpages at:
https://www.richmondvalerailtrail.org.au/news/looking-forward-by-looking-back-some-rvrt-and-related-timelines-september-16th-2025.

For the moment, we just want to reflect on the sustained contributions that our RVRT supporters and advocates have made – and to encourage everyone to ‘hang in there’ – in anticipation that some actual trail construction (by City of Newcastle Council) will occur towards the end of 2026.
 
Ten years ago (on Feb. 28th 2016), an enthusiastic group of RVRT supporters undertook a guided walk along sections of the trail between Tunnel #1 and Tunnel #3, which absolutely highlighted the potential multi-layered benefits that the trail will bring – as well as reinforcing its historical, ecological, recreational, health and socio-economic value and potential for both residents/visitors and the Hunter Region as a whole. Pic. B and Pic. C provide some images from that 2016 walk. You can also view a short YouTube video (2 Min. 14 Sec.) containing the same images:  https://youtu.be/GFKvtCFR4XE.

Pic. B: RVRT Walk (Feb. 2016), Montage 1 – Tunnel #1 and Surrounds.

Pic. C: RVRT Walk (Feb. 2016), Montage 2 – Jewboy Cave, Tunnels #2 and #3, and Surveyor’s Creek.

Local media and other agencies/groups have also played their part in keeping us both motivated and informed about the RVRT’s (relatively slow) progress through local and regional planning and assessment processes. For example, Newcastle Herald RVRT-related items from 2015-2016 (by Matthew Kelly, Mike Scanlon, Amy de Lore, Nuatali Nelmes and Tim Roberts) touched on the original Feasibility Analysis, Historic Route, Concept Design Phase and Funding Approaches, and the RVRT’s inclusion in Strategic Regional Plans. This small collection of articles can be downloaded from our Webpage (11-page PDF): https://www.richmondvalerailtrail.org.au/uploads/1/2/0/4/120411157/rvrt-reflections_2015-2016_newcastle_herald_items.pdf. Pic. D provides some sample images from those articles.

Pic. D: Sample Images from RVRT-related Newcastle Herald articles in 2015-2016.

A more in depth look at the history of the Richmond Vale Railway (RVR) was provided in a subsequent Newcastle Herald Weekender article by Scott Bevan (from December 2019). Moreover, this entertaining piece also illustrated the personal connections that many people have to the former railway and its workers, including two of our Committee Members, Billy Metcalfe and Leigh Gibbens. Pic. E presents some sample images from Scott Bevan’s article, which can also be downloaded from our Webpage (17-page PDF):  https://www.richmondvalerailtrail.org.au/uploads/1/2/0/4/120411157/rvrt-reflections-scott_bevan_newcastle_herald_december_2019.pdf

Pic. E: Sample Images from Newcastle Herald Weekender article by Scott Bevan (Dec. 2019).

Likewise, (as detailed in the Sept. 16th 2025 Facebook Post mentioned above) the RVRT’s history is documented in TFI’s highly successful ‘Towards the Richmond Vale Rail Trail’ book, which was launched in conjunction with an ‘Active Transport’ Conference at the University of Newcastle in 2017.
 
The opportunities that construction of the RVRT will provide for current and future generations of Hunter residents and visitors are considerable, both as a trail in its own right and as a central component of the proposed broader Shiraz to Shore (S2S) Shared Pathway.
 
Hopefully, taking a moment every now and then to reflect on what we actually have in our own backyard will re-kindle our enthusiasm for advocating strongly for the trail’s timely and integrated development – at local, state and national levels.
 
Thanks again to all of our supporters and advocates.
 
Constructive Comments and Feedback Welcome.

RVRT Supporters’ Group (RVRT Inc.) Contact Information:
WEBSITE:: https://richmondvalerailtrail.org.au/
FACEBOOK:  https://www.facebook.com/richmondrailtrail/
ABN:  38 561 671 292 Registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC)

President:  Terry Lewin
Email:  [email protected]
Telephone:  0404 439 616 (Terry)
 
Vice-President:  Leigh Gibbens
Email:  [email protected]
Telephone:  0433 570 920 (Leigh)

​Secretary & Treasurer:  Sam Reich
Email:  [email protected]
Telephone:  0418 402 644 (Sam)
 
Founding President:  Billy Metcalfe
Email:  [email protected]
Telephone:  0417 453 152 (Billy)