Rail Trail Local Government Grants program
The Department of Transport and Main Roads retains ownership of disused rail corridors for potential future transport use. For the majority of these corridors, the most valuable community use is for recreational and tourism purposes, such as walking, bike and horse riding (rail trails).
Rail trails support active, healthy lifestyles, and contribute to environmental preservation and management. They also create diversity in local economies and encourage the growth and creation of small businesses in hospitality and tourism sectors.
To support local governments to plan, design and construct rail trails, we implemented the Rail Trail Local Government Grants program (the program) from 2017 to 2024.
The program responded to community feedback received during development of the Queensland Cycling Strategy 2017-2027 highlighting the opportunity provided by rail trails to increase bike riding participation, encourage tourism and boost regional economies. The program is listed as Action 4.1 in the Queensland Cycling Action Plan 2023–25.
Program objectives
The objective of the program was to support local governments across Queensland to plan and deliver recreational bike riding, walking and horse trails on disused rail corridors. The program helped address:
- health and wellbeing
- community and economic development
- use of vacant state and local government owned land and disused infrastructure assets
- environmental protection and management.
Projects Supported
Projects supported through the Rail Trail Local Government Grants program are listed in the following table.
| Council | Project/Rail Trail | Project Type | Project Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barcaldine Regional Council | Aunt Emma Rail Trail, Aramac to Barcaldine | Feasibility Study | Complete |
| Blackall Tambo Regional Council | Barcoo Way, Yaraka to Blackall | Feasibility Study | Complete |
| Bundaberg Regional Council | Bundaberg to Gin Gin Rail Trail | Feasibility Study | Complete |
| Bundaberg Regional Council | Bundaberg to Gin Gin Rail Trail | Planning | Complete |
| Fraser Coast Regional Council | Mary to the Bay Rail Trail | Feasibility Study | Complete |
| Gladstone Regional Council | Taragoola to Gayndah Rail Trail | Feasibility Study | Complete |
| Gladstone Regional Council | Boyne Burnett Inland Rail Trail | Design | Complete |
| Gold Coast City Council | South Coast Rail Trails Southport Branch | Feasibility Study | Complete |
| Gympie Regional Council | Mary Valley Rail Trail, stages two and three | Feasibility Study | Complete |
| Livingstone Shire Council | Yeppoon Pineapple Rail Trail | Feasibility Study | Complete |
| Logan City Council | Logan Village to Yarrabilba Rail Trail | Feasibility Study | Complete |
| Logan City Council | Bethania to Logan Village Rail Trail | Feasibility Study | Complete |
| Logan City Council | Logan Village to Jimboomba Rail Trail | Feasibility Study | Complete |
| Maranoa Regional Council | Injune to Gunnewin Rail Trail | Feasibility Study | Complete |
| Mareeba Shire Council | Mareeba to Walkamin Rail Trail | Feasibility Study | Complete |
| Moreton Bay City Council | Wamuran to Woodford Rail Trail | Feasibility Study | Complete |
| Rockhampton Regional Council | Mount Morgan Rail Trail | Feasibility Study | Complete |
| South Burnett Regional Council | Murgon to Proston Rail Trail | Feasibility Study | Complete |
| South Burnett Regional Council | Kingaroy to Kilkivan Rail Trail flood recovery works | Construction | Complete |
| Toowoomba Regional Council | Westbrook to Wyreema Rail Trail | Feasibility Study | Complete |
| Toowoomba Regional Council | Oakey to Cecil Plains Rail Trail | Feasibility Study | Complete |
Program Status
The Rail Trail Local Government Grants program is closed and not currently accepting applications.
For further information about the projects listed in the table above, please contact the relevant local government.
Other useful resources
Bicycle Queensland ‘Getting rail trails established in Queensland: A toolkit for user associations and community advocates’. Also available in a quick-start guide format.
- Last updated
- 17 October 2025