Monday December 15, 2025
East Gippsland Upgrades Complete
The rain stopped just long enough last weekend to allow a celebration for the completion of upgrades to the East Gippsland Rail Trail in eastern Victoria. Rail Trails Australia president Damian McCrohan was honoured to be able to help the volunteer rail trail management committee cut the ribbon bringing an…
Thursday December 11, 2025
Build It, Improve It, But Who Maintains It?
Wondering how to get buy-in from local councils and stakeholders? The East Gippsland Rail Trail (EGRT) Committee of Management (CoM) came up with an innovative idea: invite them along for a ride.The 7-member committee hosted 3 East Gippsland Shire Council’s councillors including the mayor and a community infrastructure planner on…
Thursday December 11, 2025
Rail trail champions
The final upgrade of the East Gippsland Rail Trail between Orbost and Simpsons Creek was officially opened on Saturday November 29, marking a major milestone for the region's outdoor tourism infrastructure.East Gippsland Rail Trail chair, Gaynor Rettino, led the proceedings, celebrating the completion of works made possible by more than…
Friday December 5, 2025
Rail trail upgrade open
Surrounded by East Gippsland Rail Trail (EGRT) supporters, friends and committee members, chair of the trial committee Gaynor Rettino officially opened the upgraded section of the trail between Simpsons Creek and Orbost. The section was able to be upgraded after the local Rail Trail committee submitted applications for State Government funding…
Wednesday July 23, 2025
Simpsons Creek upgrades commence
The East Gippsland Rail Trail (EGRT) Committee of Management (CoM) has started upgrades to the final section of trail east of Simpsons Creek, thanks to funding through the Victorian Government's Regional Tourism Investment Fund.This project marks the completion of the 96km trail surface refurbishment, making it safer and more enjoyable…
Thursday May 1, 2025
Scenic cycling journeys
The East Gippsland Rail Trail offers cyclists a scenic journey through diverse landscapes, connecting Bairnsdale to Orbost over approximately 96 kilometres. The Bairnsdale to Nicholson (9km) section begins at Howitt Park on the Mitchell River’s east bank. This sealed section leads to Nicholson, featuring the picturesque Nicholson River bridge and…
Wednesday March 5, 2025
Discussing rail trail challenges
Last weekend the East Gippsland Rail Trail volunteer executive invited East Gippsland Shire Councillors including mayor John White and Crs Bernie Farquhar and Jodie Ashworth to ride the trail. Committee chair Gaynor Rettino said it was an opportunity to show councillors the work that has been done to the trail…
Thursday October 5, 2023
Annual bike ride a cycling success
The annual Great East Rail Trail Ride was held on Saturday, September 23, for its eighth year.The event saw 76 participants ride the 100km+ from Bairnsdale to Orbost over three days, it’s a spectacular event that showcases the region’s beautiful country side and the collaboration with local businesses, bringing people…
Thursday October 5, 2023
Expressions of Interest for appointment
Expressions of Interest for appointment to the EAST GIPPSLAND RAIL TRAIL COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENTDo you want to be involved in caring for, protecting and developing your local rail trail? Do you have skills in marketing and tourism, administration, conservation and facilities management, or business and financial management?The Department of Energy,…
Thursday July 13, 2023
Rail trail gates rammed
Volunteer committee members of the East Gippsland Rail Trail Committee of Management were disappointed to learn a set of newly installed gates on the trail at the Simpsons Creek Road crossing were deliberately rammed by a vehicle on the weekend. The recently installed gates are part of a multi-million dollar…
Thursday July 13, 2023
FAT bikes
Nowa Nowa hosted its first East Gippsland Win-ter Festival event recently with a FAT (Food, Art and Tunes) bike ride along the East Gippsland Rail Trail to Orbost. Organisers were thrilled to see 52 riders turn up along with their supporters and all enjoyed a toastie provided by The Local…
Thursday May 5, 2022
Rail trail draws touring riders
East Gippsland’s Rail Trail is proving a drawcard for international cyclists. Riding from Melbourne to Cairns by bicycle is not for the faint-hearted but in recent times Bairnsdale Warmshowers hosts, Maya and Malcolm Mathieson, have had two Japanese cyclists stay on their way to start riding the rail trail from…
Thursday November 18, 2021
Trail work starting
Work is set to start on the biggest upgrade of the East Gippsland Rail Trail in its 30-year history, thanks to a $2 million Federal Government grant.Member for Gippsland, Darren Chester, has secured the $2 million, on top of the $1.5 million received under the local economic recovery program, from…
Thursday November 4, 2021
Rail trail upgrades to start
Significant upgrades to the East Gippsland Rail Trail are set to commence in coming weeks. Works being undertaken include cleaning of culverts or replacement to address drainage and erosion issues, bridge repairs or complete rebuild, road crossing safety standardisation, fencing and installation of barriers to prevent illegal access to the…
Wednesday May 26, 2021
$2 million for the East Gippsland Rail Trail
Federal Member for Gippsland, Darren Chester, and the Deputy Prime Minister, Michael McCormack, last Friday visited the East Gippsland Rail Trail to inspect the site before work gets underway. Mr Chester secured $2 million for an upgrade of the first stage of the rail trail as part of the Regional…
Friday April 9, 2021
Happy on trail
East Gippsland Rail Trail upgrades are on the horizon.Federal Member for Gippsland, Darren Chester, has secured $2 million for the first stage of a much-needed upgrade of the trail.Mr Chester said he had been working closely with the volunteer committee of management for more than two years to seek government…
Wednesday February 17, 2021
Trail sadness
Letters to the editor - Bairnsdale Advertiser 17/02/2021Dear Editor,- We read with sadness in last week’s Bairnsdale Advertiser the current East Gippsland Rail Trail committee missed out on any major funding from governments at all levels in recent handouts.To add further distress it appears the dilapidated Snowy River viaduct going…
Wednesday February 10, 2021
Rail trail funding setback
The East Gippsland Rail Trail Committee of Management has expressed dismay that its application for a grant to fund major upgrades to the trail surface was rejected. The Rail Trail committee had applied for $5 million under the Local Economic Recovery Program, which was set up to fund projects in…
Thursday December 17, 2020
Rail trail on track for major upgrades
When the volunteers of the East Gippsland Rail Trail committee of management heard there was a chance of substantial grant funding available, they jumped into action. Not wanting to miss out on this opportunity, and being heartened by the news the Snowy River Rail Bridge restoration committee had received funding…
Thursday November 21, 2019
Great things happening on East Gippsland Rail Trail
Volunteer committee members of East Gippsland Rail Trail Committee of Management have been busy over the past 18 months securing funding for a range of projects on the trail.Two projects of interest to Orbost and district residents will be the design and installation of new signage for the length of…
