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  • Home
  • About the TFI
    • Our Team
    • Who was Tom Farrell?
    • Our Affiliates
  • 2018 Mine Rehab Conference
    • 2018 Presenters >
      • Will Mitry
      • José F. Martín Duque
      • Stephen Barry and Hamish Aiken
      • Stephen White
      • Nanthi Bolan
      • Eduardo Arellano
      • Jo-Anne Everingham
      • Yudi Firmanul Arifin
      • Thomas Baumgartl
      • Gede Widiada
      • Harley Lacy
    • 2018 Workshops >
      • José F. Martín Duque
      • Greg Hancock
      • Jo-Anne Everingham
  • Research
    • Donaldson Conservation Trust (DCT)
    • Green Corridor Stepping Stones
    • Bird Monitoring in the Hunter Valley
    • Soil quality monitoring
    • Event-based stormwater runoff monitoring
    • Improving stormwater quality
    • Coal Dissolution Testing
    • Health implications of coal dust in rainwater
    • Smart-meters for diurnal water use patterns
    • Faecal contamination in natural waterways
    • Polymer Filters Faecal contamination in natural waterways
    • Wastewater treatment membrane testing
    • Mammalian Diversity Northern Sugarloaf Ranges
  • Community Engagement
    • Borneo July 2018
    • Active Transport: ​The Richmond Vale Rail Trail Conference >
      • Meryl Swanson MP
      • Mike Mouritz
      • Graham Brewer
      • Laurie Perry
      • Stephen Wearing
      • Deborah Moore
      • Ben Ewald
      • Sam Reich
      • Tim Askew
      • Helen Plummer
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      • Prof Michael Mahony
      • Geoff Wickens
    • UoN 100% Renewable
    • Sustainability meets Statistics and STEM >
      • About SSSTEM
      • SSSTEM Research Study
      • SSSTEM Consent Forms and PIS >
        • SSSTEM Principal Consent Form
        • SSSTEM Teacher Consent Form
        • SSSTEM Student Consent Form
      • SSSTEM Contact
    • Electric Vehicle Festival
    • 2017 Mine Rehab Conference >
      • Mine Rehab Registrations
      • 2017 Sponsors
      • Local Information for MLRC
      • Conference Program
      • 2017 Presenters >
        • Matthew Newton
        • Penny Dunstan
        • Travis Peake
        • Karin Fogarty
        • Ben Clibborn​​
        • Neil Griffiths
        • Shannon Mulholland
        • Howard Wildman
        • Nanthi Bolan
        • Laura Kuginis
        • Carmen Castor
        • Didik Triwibowo
        • Chris Gimber & Brad O'Reilly
        • Corinne Unger
        • Simit Raval
        • Greg Hancock
        • Grant Dickins
      • 2017 Panel Discussion >
        • Peter Elliott
        • Stephen Barry
        • Martin Rush​
        • Andrew Keith
        • Matthew Newton
        • Richard Bush
      • 2017 Poster Presenters >
        • Robert Scanlon
        • Angus Carnegie
        • Hannah Alcantara
        • Andrew Keith
        • Yilu Xu
        • Hasintha Wijesekara
        • Shannon Diener
        • John Ritchie
        • Charles Lee
        • Bikram Banerjee
        • Sonia Shilpi
      • 2017 Cocktail Dinner
      • 2017 Workshops >
        • Garry Willgoose
        • Peter Elliott
        • Donna Pershke
        • Simit Raval
        • Michael Hitch
        • Wendy Timms
      • 2017 Mine Tours
      • Information for Exhibitors
      • Delegate Handbook
      • Conference Feedback Survey
      • Mine Tour Feedback Survey
      • Sponsor and Exhibitor Feedback Survey
      • 2017 Mine Rehab Conference - original
    • Past Conferences >
      • Smart Future Cities Conference
      • Clean Energy Conf
      • 2014 Mined Land Conf
      • 2015 Mined Land Conf >
        • Conference Presenters
        • Poster Presentations
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      • 2016 Mined Land Conf
  • News
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    • Towards The Richmond Vale Rail Trail - Book
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Proudly supported by the Donaldson Conservation Trust

Active Transport:  
​The Richmond Vale Rail Trail ​Conference

Exploring the ecological, eco-tourism and health benefits of the Richmond Vale Rail Trail

David Atkinson

Newcastle Cycleways Movement​
Picture
David Atkinson is a cyclist involved with Newcastle Cycleways Movement for 20 years and Richmond Vale Rail Trail for over 17 yrs. He returned to cycling at age 50 and particularly enjoys mountain biking and prefers cycle paths to the open road due in no small part to the inherent dangers of cycling on road (eg run off the road by idiots with texting addictions etc). He has a dual suspension Giant Trance 2 and a Specialised Tri-Cross Cyclo-Cross bike both with 27 speeds to make up for his age on big hills. Yes he needs more time in the saddle.

Conference Speakers
  • Meryl Swanson MP 
  • Mike Mouritz
  • Dr Graham Brewer
  • Laurie Perry
  • Dr Stephen Wearing
  • Deborah Moore
  • Ben Ewald
  • Sam Reich
  • Tim Askew
  • Helen Plummer
  • Karen Partington 
  • Mike Halliburton
  • Ant Packer
  • David Atkinson
  • Prof. Michael Mahony
  • Geoff Wickens 
​Abstract

The Richmond Vale Rail Trail - a potted history, the beginnings and the environments traversed​


The Richmond Vale Railway a potted history – from John Eales, J & A Browns to Baron John Browm to Coal & Allied et al.
The last steam train to haul coal on the line was on 15th October 1987.

The beginnings
Many mountain bike riders have used the disused RVRT rail corridor for many years prior to a cycling tourism conference Cessnock City Council where a rail trail was mooted by Daryl Stone and others. This formed the genesis of the Richmond Vale Rail Trail. The University of Newcastle and UTS carried out studies in the early 2000s and a dedicated group negotiated with Coal & Allied. Due to organisational and business changes the trail negotiations were diverted to the City of Newcastle who currently have carriage of the project.
The community group formed an incorporated association in August 2015 titled RVRT Inc and 
Environments traversed
The trail traverses 16 distinct vegetation communities including Hexham swamp and the Pambalong nature reserve, Ramsar wetlands and bird habitats. Remnant rainforest and dry sclerophyll forests and riparian forests. 

Due to the diverse and attractive environments to be encountered, the RVRT is a strategic asset for tourism, commuting and locals riding for pleasure.  Access to the varied natural and built environments along the track and the value to the community and disabled access to some sections of the track.

Presentation

​The Richmond Vale Rail Trail - a potted history, the beginnings and the environments traversed​

Presented on 27th September 2017 at the Active Transport: The Richmond Vale Rail Trail Conference (2017)
1500_david_atkinson_potted_history_2017atc_atkinsonrvrtinc.pdf
File Size: 2265 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

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