Newsroom

Railton Sheffield rail trail blocked by fence

The Railton Sheffield rail trail has been blocked by a local farmer who has built a fence across the trail near Johnson Street in Sheffield.

Bicycle Network has written to Land Tasmania and Crown Land Services to ask for the fence to be removed.

Kentish Council has confirmed the trail is on Crown land and the fence should not have been built across the trail.

The rail trail forms part of the Tasmanian Trail which extends from Devonport to Dover on a mix of land owned by state government, local government and private landowners, roads and off-road tracks.

Tasmanian Trails Northern Coordinator Dakota Wolf appeared on ABC Radio this week and said the rail trail will also be used in the new Wild Mersey mountain bike tracks between Sheffield and Railton.

Also speaking on ABC Radio, the Kentish Council Deputy Mayor Don Thwaites said the council has contacted the farmer about the fence but were referred to his solicitor.

He said it’s up to the state government to take it up with the farmer and the council has written to the government to ask for action.

The Parks Service has responded to let us know they have been in contact with the landowner and are working to get the trail re-opened shortly.

Bicycle Network features the 12 km trail on our Ridewith GPS Ambassador Routes page.

The Ambassador Routes are promoted to local and visiting riders and is the top link on the Tourism Industry Council of Tasmania’s Bike Friendly Businesses webpage.