Bicycle Network: Funding & Budgets

Regional Partnerships Program and Rail Trails

The Federal Government's Regional Partnerships Program has funded a number of exciting rail trail projects is recent years including the East Gippsland Rail Trail 2002 ($650,000) and the Warrnambool to Port Fairy Rail Trail in 2006 ($900,000+).

Economic and Community Benefits of Rail Trails help secure funding.

The Regional Partnerships Programme aims to "provide opportunities for economic and social participation" and to "improve access to services".

Successful Rail Trail projects have been able to demonstrate that they will deliver huge economic benefits for regional communities. Recent research shows that each visitor to a rail trail bring $258 per day to regional towns and that each $99,000 spent by visitors creates a full time job. Estimates on the Murray to Mountains Rail Trail predict over $2 million was spent on the easter weekend alone in 2006 by rail trail visitors.

Other benefits that have contributed to recent funding announcements include the many opportunities for formal and informal social participation such as dog walking groups, mothers walking groups, social rides and organised fun runs and rides.