Category: Media Release

Media Release (by RVRT Inc.) 18/05/2023 - Planning Approval Granted for thew Western Section of the Richmond Vale Rail trail (RVRT) within Cessnock LGA (approx. 14.4 km) - Stockrington to Log of Knowledge Park, Kurri Kurri

18/5/2023

Media Release (by RVRT Inc.) Planning Approval Granted for thew Western Section of the Richmond Vale Rail trail (RVRT) within Cessnock LGA (approx. 14.4 km) - Stockrington to Log of Knowledge Park, Kurri Kurri

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At last night’s Cessnock City Council Meeting (17/05/2023), Councillors unanimously approved the Review of Environmental Factors (REF) and associated reports for the Western section of the RVRT within Cessnock LGA (WI16/2023, Submissions and Determination Reports), subject to 44 Conditions of Approval.
In total, 27.5 km of the RVRT has now received initial planning approval - adding momentum to finalising approvals for the remaining short sections within Lake Macquarie LGA and across the Hunter Wetlands National Park (see details below).

Congratulations and Thanks:

We would like to take this opportunity to express our thanks to: Kate Harris (Open Space and Community Facilities Manager at Cessnock Council); the primary design consultant (GHD Pty Ltd, Newcastle); the other Council Officers and Consultants; and all our local Councillors - who have helped to finalise Concept-level planning and consultation for the Western section of the RVRT.
Thanks also to the 127 individuals and groups from across the region who provided written public submissions (98% of which were supportive), and to RVRT Inc.’s own members and supporters.

Terry Lewin, RVRT Supporters’ Group Vice-president, greeted this Approval with cautious optimism:

“This is another important milestone in the trail’s development. There is also little doubt that the RVRT will be of huge benefit to Hunter communities, supporting a broad range of users and activities across all age groups, especially when it is combined with enhanced local community linkages to other facilities, parks and conservation areas, attractions, and shared pathways”.

“However, with a growing appetite for rail trails and active transport in NSW, and increasing competition for government funding, we all need to continue to work together to finalise RVRT approvals and attract State and Federal funding - to help make the Richmond Vale Rail Trail a reality!”.

General Information about the RVRT:

The Richmond Vale Rail Trail (RVRT) will be a multi-purpose, 32 km (40 km with connections) continuous off-road shared pathway, supporting a diverse range of activities and user groups (e.g., commuting and recreational cyclists, walkers, runners, bird watchers, reduced mobility users, family and social groups).
The RVRT will run from Shortland (near the Hunter Wetlands Centre) to Kurri Kurri (Log of Knowledge Park), connecting four LGAs (Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Cessnock and Maitland). The trail runs primarily along the former Richmond Vale railway alignment [a private coal line that closed in 1987], as well as utilising Hunter Water Corporation pipeline corridors (e.g., Shortland to Tarro segment and Fletcher connection).
In addition to active transport, cycling safety, health and lifestyle, and substantial economic and tourism benefits, the RVRT will: foster linkages between metropolitan and rural communities and their attractions; facilitate access to multiple high conservation value areas that were previously inaccessible; and provide opportunities for future regional network connections, effectively becoming the spine that links an array of local trails, shared pathways and facilities. The RVRT will also be a central element within the proposed broader (100+ km) ‘Shiraz to Shore’ Hunter Cycle Trail, an initiative of the Hunter Joint Organisation of Councils (Hunter JO).

Western Section of the RVRT:

Most of the 17 km Western RVRT Section is identified as a ‘road infrastructure facility’ (Clause 2.107, State Environmental Planning Policy), with a comprehensive REF considered appropriate.
Typically, the path will have a 3m wide flexible sealed pavement, and primarily follow existing disused rail alignments.
Restoration and repair of three Historic brick Railway Tunnels in the Sugarloaf Range (two in Lake Macquarie LGA).
Improved access to conservation areas, such as Pambalong Nature Reserve, Stockrington and Werakata State Conservation Areas.
Construction of new concrete bridges and demolition of existing dilapidated timber bridges (and possible repurposing): 15m two-span bridge at Surveyors Creek; 70m single-span bridge at Wallis Creek; and diverted short culvert crossing at Werakata Creek.
Four at grade local road crossings: Dog Hole Road, Stockrington; Quarry Access Road and Hunter Expressway construction yard (off George Booth Drive), Richmond Vale; and Pokolbin Street, Kurri Kurri.
Provision for new car parks, other amenities (e.g., toilet and shelter areas, bike facilities, water fountains, potential picnic sites), and construction related facilities (e.g., compound and stockpile areas) at various access points, together with some exploration of additional access locations within Stockrington State Conservation Area.
Plans to build a high quality shared trail will also be advantageous: minimising ongoing environmental impacts; encouraging a wide range of users, including those with reduced mobility; and reducing longer-term maintenance costs to Councils and other stakeholders.

With regard to consistency with strategic directions, the RVRT has been identified as a regional priority in multiple Hunter Regional Plans (October, 2016; December, 2022), in the Cessnock Trails Strategy (May, 2020) and other local Council plans, and in the recently endorsed Hunter Valley Destination Management Plan (March, 2023).
Importantly, the 44 Conditions of Approval include Communications Conditions (e.g., Community Liaison and Notification Plans) – to ensure that “… Cessnock City Council will continue to liaise with the community and other stakeholders as the Proposed Activity progresses through detailed design and into the construction phase.”
Link to download documentation associated with the recent Council Approval: https://www.richmondvalerailtrail.org.au/uploads/1/2/0/4/120411157/rvrt-related_agenda_and_enclosure_documents_cessnock_council-meeting-17-05-2023.pdf

Where to From Here:

A comprehensive ‘Feasibility Study’ for the RVRT was completed in 2014 (by Mike Halliburton Associates), followed by commencement of planning for the current proposal in 2016. All of the work done since that time has only strengthened the arguments in favour of building the RVRT.
It is worth remembering that over the past three decades, tens of millions of dollars of public money have already been spent on making provision for the RVRT and protecting the corridor (e.g., building tunnels under Lenaghans Drive and the M1; monitoring and preserving two historic brick tunnels during Hunter Expressway construction; recent planning for the M1 Extension to Raymond Terrace and the Hunter Freight Corridor). It will be extremely wasteful if we do not construct the RVRT, after the decades of effort and planning that have already gone into it.
It is also time to accelerate RVRT funding and development … And there is probably no better time than the present to encourage our Local, State and Federal elected representatives to work together to secure the required infrastructure funding.
As expected, there are many practical decisions that will need to be made during the detailed design and construction phases (including, finalising: pavement types, parking & amenities layouts/inclusions, additional access locations/facilities, fencing, landscaping, links to other shared pathways, further negotiation with affected landowners and other agencies, etc). There are also broader considerations - which relate to heritage/cultural promotion, consistent signage, tourism and marketing, user experiences, educational resources, and so on.
It is also clearly time to establish an active and representative Regional RVRT Planning and Management Committee (drawing representation from Newcastle, Cessnock, Lake Macquarie and Maitland LGAs), with a particular focus on integrated regional RVRT development, securing funding, construction segments and priorities, and optimising the trail’s longer-term benefits for residents and visitors.
Prioritising detailed design work and construction of the RVRT first is the best way forward, whilst being mindful of the future needs and opportunities associated with the broader ‘Shiraz to Shore’ Hunter Cycle Trail. Essentially, treating refinement and construction of the RVRT as the ‘development ground’ for the Hunter Cycle Trail.
There is also an imperative to act sooner, rather than later, to try to attract external funding.

Firstly, the two pilot Rail Trail projects funded in NSW have been extremely well received (i.e., the Tumbarumba to Rosewood Rail Trail, and the Northern Rivers Rail Trail) – so, many NSW communities are now considering rail trail or related developments.
Secondly, the recent legislative changes within NSW [Transport Administration Amendment (Rail Trails) Bill 2022] have removed some of the planning obstacles; consequently, there will be increasing competition for the required design and construction funds – so, sitting back, is likely to be counterproductive.

We simply cannot let the current approval(s) sit in a box gathering dust!

Summary of Current Concept-level RVRT Approvals (totalling 27.5 km):

(See Figure on next page)

Cessnock LGA: Short (100 metre) coastal wetlands section (Green line in Figure) adjacent to Pambalong Nature Reserve - approved by Cessnock City Council on 26th April 2021 (DA 8/2020/20463/1), subject to 32 Conditions of Consent.
Newcastle LGA: Initial 13 km coastal wetlands section (Red lines in Figure) - approved by Hunter & Central Coast Regional Planning Panel on 6th December 2021 (Ref: PPSHCC-55; DA 2020/00641), subject to 100 Conditions of Consent. This approval included four trail ‘legs’: a) Shortland to Hexham Junction (split section totalling approx. 3 km, excluding the section within Hunter Wetlands National Park); b) Hexham Junction to Minmi (via Minmi Junction) (7.50 km); c) Minmi Junction to Pambalong Nature Reserve (2.15 km); and d) Minmi Junction to Fletcher (700 metres).
Cessnock LGA: Review of Environmental Factors (REF) for 14.4 km RVRT Western Section (Brown lines in Figure) - approved by Cessnock City Council on 17th May 2023, subject to 44 Conditions of Approval.

Future Approvals:

Lake Macquarie City Council will need to separately approve their 2.7 km section of the current RVRT Western Section REF (Magenta line in Figure; which borders Cessnock LGA on both sides).
A REF for the short section across Hunter Wetlands National Park (Orange line in Figure) will also be completed soon, in conjunction with the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS).
A REF for the Tarro Connection (Yellow Line in Figure) is also required, which will need to be fully integrated with the recently approved & contracted Black Hill to Raymond Terrace M1 Extension.
Anticipated future connections to: the University of Newcastle (and the wider cycleways network); proposed residential developments around Minmi; and Blue Gum Hills Regional Park.

Thanks for your interest in the RVRT.

Please contact our Vice-president, Terry Lewin, for further information or comment.

RVRT Inc. contact details:

President: Billy Metcalfe
Email: wmetcalfe@bigpond.com
Telephone: 0417 453 152 (Billy)

Vice-president: Terry Lewin
Email: Terry.Lewin@bigpond.com
Telephone: 0404 439 616 (Terry)

Secretary & Treasurer: Sam Reich
Email: rvrt.inc@gmail.com
Telephone: 0418 402 644 (Sam)

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MEDIA RELEASE (by RVRT Inc.)

6/12/2021

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Planning Approval Granted for Initial LGA Section (approx. 13 km) of the Richmond Vale Rail Trail (RVRT) - Shortland to Minmi/Fletcher via "Hexham Junction" and "Minmi Junction"

Congratulations and Thanks:

Congratulations to everyone in the Hunter Region and elsewhere who has supported the development of the Richmond Vale Rail Trail (RVRT). With planning approval now granted for the initial Newcastle LGA section of the trail (see details below), we are one step closer to making the RVRT a reality.
In particular, we would like to acknowledge the contributions of current and former planning and assessment staff at Newcastle City Council, the Hunter and Central Coast Regional Planning Panel (RPP), the primary design consultant (GHD Pty Ltd, Newcastle), the 150 individuals and groups who made written public submissions, and RVRT Inc.’s own members and supporters. Additional agencies and groups making substantial contributions include: National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), Donaldson Conservation Trust (DCT), the Tom Farrell Institute for the Environment (TFI), Newcastle Cycleways Movement, and the other participating local Councils (Cessnock and Lake Macquarie).
Some of our supporters were starting to become concerned that the trail might never eventuate; after all, the initial ‘Community Information Sessions’ were held in November 2016! Since then, there have been many environmental and related assessments (to better protect our coastal wetlands and reserves), and a reasonable number of design adjustments – so, it is time for a moment of celebration – before we focus on the detailed design work ahead, the next approval stages, the search for external funding, and trail construction.

Billy Metcalfe, RVRT Inc.’s President for well over 10 years, greeted the current Approval enthusiastically:
“Reaching this point is exciting, as many of the project’s major planning milestones have been met. Let's hope that work can commence as soon as possible. It’s important that the Newcastle end gets built first, so all communities can be progressively connected.
If we can get the current DA finalised and find funding, it’s time to get on with the Western end of the project, so the full potential of the Richmond Vale Rail Trail can be unlocked. This is a project with state significance, linking the coast to the valley will be a major achievement”.

Unique Features of the RVRT:

When completed, the RVRT will comprise a multi-purpose, user-friendly, 40 km shared community pathway between Shortland and Kurri Kurri, supporting a broad range of user groups (e.g., commuting and recreational cyclists, walkers, runners, bird watchers, reduced mobility users, family and social groups).

In addition to cycling safety, health and lifestyle, and economic and tourism benefits, the RVRT will: foster linkages between metropolitan and rural communities and their attractions; facilitate access to multiple high conservation value areas that were previously inaccessible (e.g., Hunter Wetlands National Park, Pambalong Nature Reserve, Stockrington and Werakata State Conservation Areas); enhance our cultural and heritage awareness and appreciation; and provide opportunities for future regional network connections (effectively becoming the spine that links an array of Lower Hunter trails, cycleways and attractions).

Current Approval by the Regional Planning Panel (RPP):

The Hunter and Central Coast RPP held an online Public Meeting at 4pm on Wednesday, 10th November 2021 [Ref: PPSHCC-55, chaired by: Ms. Alison McCabe] to determine a Development Application by the City of Newcastle’s Infrastructure & Property Unit (DA2020/00641) for a ‘Community Facility – Pathway – “Richmond Vale Rail Trail” – (RVRT)’ [Capital Improved Value: approx. $21.4 m (for adjusted DA)].
Link to relevant documents and determination:
https://www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/planning-panel/richmond-vale-rail-trail

After further deliberations, planning Approval has now been granted for this Development Application (dated 06/12/2021), subject to 100 Conditions of Consent. This initial approval includes four trail ‘legs’, totalling approx. 13 km:

Shortland to Hexham Junction (split section totalling approx. 3 km) – along a former water pipeline corridor – includes: a 4 metre wide path; parking and amenities at King Street Shortland; bridges over Ironbark and Fisheries Creeks; and separated walking and cycling paths in the short segment with a steeper gradient. N.B.: The section within Hunter Wetlands National Park (Lot 3-4 DP 171105, which will include a 230 metre boardwalk) is now covered by a Plan of Management and requires separate approval;
Hexham Junction to Minmi (via Minmi Junction) (7.50 km) – along the historic Richmond Vale railway corridor – includes: a 3 metre wide path; parking and amenities at Minmi; and a mix of new concrete bridges, viewing platforms, and restored bridge segments;
Minmi Junction to Pambalong Nature Reserve (2.15 km) – includes: a 3 metre wide path and existing road tunnels under Leneghans Drive and the M1. This segment will allow future connections to Kurri Kurri via the former private rail corridor, which runs through Stockrington State Conservation Area and includes three historic brick railway tunnels within the Sugarloaf Range;
Minmi Junction to Fletcher (700 metres) – along a former water pipeline corridor - includes: a 3 metre wide path; a 125 metre raised boardwalk; and connections to existing paths at Kural Crescent, Fletcher.

Future Approvals:

Two ‘legs’ within Newcastle LGA were temporarily removed from the current application (the Hunter Wetlands Centre connection, and the Hexham Junction to Tarro connection). These will be the subject of future applications, together with separate applications for the remaining Cessnock and Lake Macquarie LGA segments [conducted as Reviews of Environmental Factors]. It is also anticipated that there will be future connections to: the University of Newcastle (and the wider cycleways network); proposed residential developments around Minmi; Blue Gum Hills Regional Park; and to the M1 Extension to Raymond Terrace.

Thanks for your interest in the RVRT.

Please contact our Secretary & Treasurer, Leigh Gibbens, for further information or comment.

RVRT Inc. contact details:

Secretary & Treasurer: Leigh Gibbens
Email: rvrt.inc@gmail.com
Telephone: 0433 570 920 (Leigh)

President: Billy Metcalfe
Email: wmetcalfe@bigpond.com
Telephone: 0417 453 152 (Billy)

Vice-president: Terry Lewin
Email: Terry.Lewin@bigpond.com
Telephone: 0404 439 616 (Terry)

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Media Release (by RVRT Inc.) 18/05/2023 - Planning Approval Granted for thew Western Section of the Richmond Vale Rail trail (RVRT) within Cessnock LGA (approx. 14.4 km) - Stockrington to Log of Knowledge Park, Kurri Kurri

Media Release (by RVRT Inc.) Planning Approval Granted for thew Western Section of the Richmond Vale Rail trail (RVRT) within Cessnock LGA (approx. 14.4 km) - Stockrington to Log of Knowledge Park, Kurri Kurri

Congratulations and Thanks:

General Information about the RVRT:

Western Section of the RVRT:

Where to From Here:

Summary of Current Concept-level RVRT Approvals (totalling 27.5 km):

Future Approvals:

Thanks for your interest in the RVRT.

MEDIA RELEASE (by RVRT Inc.)

Planning Approval Granted for Initial LGA Section (approx. 13 km) of the Richmond Vale Rail Trail (RVRT) - Shortland to Minmi/Fletcher via "Hexham Junction" and "Minmi Junction"

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Media Release (by RVRT Inc.) 18/05/2023 - Planning Approval Granted for thew Western Section of the Richmond Vale Rail trail (RVRT) within Cessnock LGA (approx. 14.4 km) - Stockrington to Log of Knowledge Park, Kurri Kurri

​Media Release (by RVRT Inc.) Planning Approval Granted for thew Western Section of the Richmond Vale Rail trail (RVRT) within Cessnock LGA (approx. 14.4 km) - Stockrington to Log of Knowledge Park, Kurri Kurri

Congratulations and Thanks:​

General Information about the RVRT:​

​Western Section of the RVRT:

​Where to From Here:

Summary of Current Concept-level RVRT Approvals (totalling 27.5 km):​

Future Approvals:​

​Thanks for your interest in the RVRT.

MEDIA RELEASE (by RVRT Inc.)

Planning Approval Granted for Initial LGA Section (approx. 13 km) of the Richmond Vale Rail Trail (RVRT) - Shortland to Minmi/Fletcher via "Hexham Junction" and "Minmi Junction"

In the Media

Archives

Categories

Media Release (by RVRT Inc.) Planning Approval Granted for thew Western Section of the Richmond Vale Rail trail (RVRT) within Cessnock LGA (approx. 14.4 km) - Stockrington to Log of Knowledge Park, Kurri Kurri

Congratulations and Thanks:

General Information about the RVRT:

Western Section of the RVRT:

Where to From Here:

Summary of Current Concept-level RVRT Approvals (totalling 27.5 km):

Future Approvals:

Thanks for your interest in the RVRT.