Byron Shire Council will forgo aspirations of a light rail option between Mullumbimby and Byron Bay to speed up the completion of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail (NRRT).
Councillors voted to move forward with a ‘on-formation’ rail trail at last month’s council meeting for the 54.2 kilometre former rail line between Booyong and Crabbes Creek. That means putting the rail trail for bicycles and e-bikes on the existing track, which has been a challenging decision for councillors and communities in need of more integrated public transport.
The NRRT follows the old, 132-kilometre Casino to Murwillumbah rail line which went through the heart of the Byron Shire, taking in Mullumbimby, Byron Bay and Bangalow.
The first 24km section of the rail trail, from Murwillumbah to Crabbes Creek, opened in March 2023 and saw nearly 150,000 users in the first year and 300,000 users in 2025.
A second section, from Casino to Bentley, opened a year later, before being extended by 30km to South Lismore. Lismore City Council is actively working to secure funding for the next stage, Lismore to Booyong (20.9 km), which will extend the trail further north.
Byron Shire Council is responsible for the Booyong to Crabbes Creek section, and its future part in the popular NRRT has been a “huge community issue” according to Mayor Sarah Ndiaye.
The council has been proposing a multi-use option for the final NRRT section for the past three years due to a community yearning for light rail public transport option.
That policy has now changed due to a lack of forthcoming federal and state government funding and environmental reports that show a multi-use option would result in significant environmental impacts.
The council also noted the social and economic success of the existing on-formation sections in the Lismore and Richmond Valley Shires.
“The track between Mullumbimby and Byron has been left alone for so long that there are now endangered ecological communities along the corridor,” said Cr Arsen Pugh.
“We’ve had three years to come up with a multi-use plan. Multi-use is not reasonably possible.”
“It’s time to pull the Band-Aid off and get on it with it. This section is being delayed because of our uncertainty with our policy.”
“I certainly understand those parts of the community that want a train back for public transport, but the rail corridor is not the solution to those concerns. There is no chance of getting a train, and no chance of extending the solar train.”
Pugh said developing the track for multi-use would cost almost twice as much as doing an on-formation trail.
“The difference is costings between building the rail trail on-formation or off-formation is about $6.5 million.”
The Byron Shire has already partnered with Lismore City Council to apply for funding under the Australian Government’s Regional Precincts and Partnerships Program for on-formation rail trail for the Mullumbimby to Crabbes Creek, Bangalow Industrial Estate to Bangalow Showgrounds and Lismore to Bexhill sections.
Cr David Warth spoke in favour of retaining a multi-use strategy for the rail trail to help keep up with increasing public transport demand between Byron Bay and Mullumbimby.
“The connection between Byron and Mullumbimby is getting stronger and stronger. We have to plan for the future. Already, our infrastructure is not working,” Warth said.
“A light rail would certainly be a big plus for our future as a commuting option between Byron and Mullumbimby.”
“Letting go of a multi-use is a real mistake.”
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