New Paper Petitions Opposing the Armidale–Ben Lomond Rail Trail Proposal

Dear All,

Thank you once again for supporting the online petition opposing the proposed New England Rail Trail from Armidale to Glen Innes. Your support means a great deal to me and to others in New England who have been working to preserve the existing railway infrastructure north of Armidale.

Over recent years, we have attempted to persuade the Mayors of Armidale and Glen Innes to convene a round-table discussion involving all stakeholders interested in the future use of the railway corridor north of Armidale. Our aim has been to find common ground and develop a better and more inclusive approach to the future transport needs of the region. Unfortunately, our efforts to achieve such a discussion have so far been unsuccessful.

Instead, Armidale Regional Council (ARC), with the assistance of NSW Public Works, is progressing preliminary work towards an application to the NSW Government for a rail trail between Armidale and Ben Lomond(67kms). According to the project timeline published on Council's Have Your Say website, an application is expected to be submitted to the NSW Government  later in 2026. Council has also allocated approximately $2 million from its budget towards preliminary work associated with the project.

It has therefore become necessary for us to organise a new paper petition addressed to the two relevant NSW Government Ministers and other decision makers. Its purpose is to demonstrate opposition to the Armidale Regional Council proposal for a rail trail between Armidale and Ben Lomond.

If you oppose the Council's proposal to establish a cycling and walking trail on the railway formation where this would require the removal of existing railway infrastructure, please consider signing this new petition. Please also make others who oppose the proposal aware of the petition and encourage them to consider signing it.

I am aware that Trains North also has a paper petition addressed to the NSW Legislative Assembly, which has already collected approximately 1,000 signatures. Please consider supporting the Trains North petition as well. The petitions have different purposes and addressees, and supporting one does not prevent anyone from supporting another.

If you would like a copy of the new petition for residents and ratepayers of the Armidale Regional Council area, please email me at siri.gamage1951@gmail.com. Please provide your name and locality and indicate which petition you would like to receive.

I have also prepared similar petitions for:

Residents and ratepayers of the Glen Innes Severn Council area;
Residents and ratepayers of the Tenterfield Shire Council area; and
People living outside the Armidale, Glen Innes and Tenterfield local government areas.

We need to complete this effort over the next four to six weeks so that the petitions and associated objections can be provided to the relevant Ministers and other decision-makers when Armidale Regional Council submits its application to the NSW Government.

For your information and convenience, I have included below a copy of the new petition addressed to the two Ministers.

Thank you again for your continuing support.

Yours sincerely,

Siri Gamage
Regional Rail Advocate

Copy of the petition

PETITION BY RESIDENTS AND RATEPAYERS OF THE ARMIDALE REGIONAL COUNCIL AREA

Preserve the Northern Railway Infrastructure

To: The Hon. Tara Moriarty MLC and The Hon. Jenny Aitchison MP
Attention: Policy, Reform and Evidence Team, NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
Copy: Mr Brendan Moylan MP, Member for Northern Tablelands

We, the undersigned residents and ratepayers, wish to express our strong objections to the proposed rail trail from Armidale to Ben Lomond by Armidale Regional Council (ARC). We respectfully request that the NSW Government does not approve any application from Armidale Regional Council for the rail trail until genuine and independent local community support for the removal of rail infrastructure has been demonstrated.

Removing existing rail infrastructure would make the future restoration of passenger, freight, heritage or other rail services substantially more difficult and expensive, especially any future connectivity to Brisbane. We do not accept that ARC has adequately established community support for the rail trail.

We therefore respectfully ask the NSW Government to:

1. Preserve the existing railway infrastructure while its future passenger, freight, heritage and strategic potential is independently assessed.

2. Require clear evidence of genuine support among residents and ratepayers directly affected before approving removal of railway infrastructure.

3. Investigate Rail-with-Trail or off-formation alternatives so a recreational trail can be developed while retaining the railway infrastructure.

4. Consider restoration of the Great Northern Railway north of Armidale as part of the long-term transport and economic development of New England and improved connectivity with Queensland.

SIGNATURES

No.                     Full Name.                   Residential Address / Locality                              Signature

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