By JESSE GRAHAM
A COLOSSAL trail connecting Yarra Glen and Healesville to the Warburton Trail is a step closer to reality, with the council putting out its plan for feedback.
On Tuesday 26 April, Yarra Ranges councillors unanimously voted to release its Yarra Valley Trail Feasibility Study to the public, for an eight-week consultation period.
The trail involves three stages, connecting Lilydale to Yarra Glen with a rail trail; connecting Yarra Glen to Healesville with a shared-use path; then connecting Healesville to Warburton via the Coranderrk Aqueduct Trail.
Once finished, the trail would make an 80 kilometre loop through the valley, starting and finishing in Lilydale.
The total cost of the project is estimated at $10.6 million, but council projects it will bring 210,040 visitors annually, with 222 new jobs and will generate $30 million as a result.
At the meeting, Ryrie Ward councillor Fiona McAllister said that a “huge amount of work” had gone into the feasibility study, with more than 1000 people commenting during the process.
“It has huge levels of community support, from the cycling community, to the walking community, the running community, the local community, visitors – it will be fantastic when we make it happen,” she said.
“I’d like to know where, anywhere else, something like this would be duplicated.”
Councillors unanimously voted to release the study, allocate $550,000 from unallocated money in the Capital Expenditure Program for detailed designs of the trail, and write to VicTrack requesting use of the Lilydale to Yarra Glen railway reserve.
The third stage, in the Coranderrk Aqueduct, will not be able to progress for five years, however, with the aqueduct still in use to transport drinking water from Sugarloaf Reservoir to Badger Weir.
With Melbourne Water set to divert this water to Maroondah Reservoir in five years, the aqueduct will then be available for the trail.
Yarra Ranges mayor Jason Callanan said the study would allow council to advocate for state and federal funding, and that he hoped parties would take notice of it during the upcoming federal election campaign.
“We all know this does draw a crowd – we’ve now done the work behind it,” he said.
“The generation of economic benefits and people coming into the area for tourism … is going to be very exciting.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing where we’re going with this.”
To see the feasibility study, visit www.yarraranges.vic.gov.au
