Blaze a trail with us!
We’re building overwhelming support for a new world-class recreational trail for all in Central Victoria.
Connecting communities
“From little things, big things grow.”
– Paul Kelly and Kev Carmody
Members, volunteers, supporters and friends. We are many, with one goal: to connect our communities along the proposed trail corridor.
Watch our story…
OUR PURPOSE
CMRT was founded to transform the 55km Castlemaine to Maryborough disused rail corridor into a world-class recreational trail. A trail that can be used by cyclists, walkers and horse-riders of all ages and abilities.
We want to connect communities, defend safe travel, encourage prosperity, look after the bush and tell amazing stories of place and people.
We use grassroots action to inspire communities and spur governments to lead the charge to establish a new trail in Central Victoria.
Our community outreach aims to rally people of all ages and backgrounds behind the idea of a trail. To build a trail, we need to build a movement.
Acknowledgement of Country
We acknowledge the Dja Dja Wurrung and the Jaara Jaara people, the custodians and caretakers of this land through which the trail will pass. We thank them for the care they have taken of the country: the rivers, mountains, trees, and animals. We could like to honour this Country, the Elders of the past and present and most importantly the young, proud Aboriginal people, as they are our leaders for tomorrow.
One of the wonderful things about our trail is that it’ll be equally enjoyable no matter which end you start from!
Start at Maryborough and you can alight from one of Australia’s grandest old railway stations. Start at Castlemaine station and you will be right where the story of the goldfields began.
A powerful and unique feature of the trail is that it has a train line to Melbourne at both ends. Easy for local commuters; a magnet for eco-tourists.
If you start in Castlemaine, you can easily find good food and coffee and any last-minute necessities, then you’ll be off along the Campbells Creek Trail to Winters Flat where the disused part of the old train line begins and the Goldfields Steam Train blows it’s whistle and turns off towards Maldon.
Then the creek, the road, and the rail trail rolls down the valley past farms and houses to Guildford. You’ll be able to look down on the cars passing by as you are safe on the trail and can enjoy the view.
At Guildford, the line crosses the highway on a high bridge and leaves the road for a while, past the place where Campbells Creek joins the Loddon River, over another bridge, and now you’ll follow the Loddon River through bush and farmland, all the way to the old Newstead Station which is now an arts hub.
Soon after Newstead, you will ride across the spectacular Joyce’s Creek bridge, the longest of the trail, at the bottom of Lake Cairn Curran Reservoir. Then it’s a short climb up onto the volcanic Moolort Plains, with big skies, and world-recognised wetlands.
The rollicking downhill run past the Moolort Silos and into Carisbrook is a blast before heading into Maryborough and the truly magnificent Maryborough Station where you can enjoy a well-deserved milkshake (or other age-appropriate refreshing treats).
We’ve always envisaged our trail as something more than a gravel path linking two points. Our region is studded with natural and other attractions. That’s why we developed our Guide to the Trail to highlight some of our region’s many attractions, and help better tell our stories of people and place.
P.S. Take a peek at some of views you’ll get along the trail in the Views Along The Trail gallery below (photographs by Mick Evans).
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NEWS
What if kids made our video?
Imagine if we built a rail trail? Adults would give you a sensible answer based on notions of sound economics and worthy social outcomes. Ho hum. Boring! So we asked five Central Victorian young people instead. Then we let them loose with a film-maker. Watch our short film or catch it at Castlemaine’s Theatre Royal.
Next generation ecologists
This week the Castlemaine Fringe Festival organisers invited young students from the Campbells Creek Primary School and Guildford Campus to decorate Guildford General Store main street window. While we work to get our trail built, we can salute our youngest generation of budding artists and ecologists.
99% trail alignment obvious
99% of the trail alignment is very obvious because it follows the former rail line, according to experts working on the trail study. The tricky bits are linking it to key destinations and safely crossing major roads. Project steering committee member John Carruthers caught up with lead consultant Tim Fitzgerald for the low down.
EVENTS
Bike touring, e-bikes come to the Goldfields
Bike-touring and e-bikes were the stars in the capstone event in CMRT’s five-workshop “Better on a Bike” series in Maryborough yesterday. CMRT President and program lead, Janice Simpson, recaps the finale. The series was underwritten by a Central Goldfields Shire Council grant.
Out for a Spin…Sold out
Out for a Spin is an afternoon of spoken words and song celebrating the trail-to-be from Maryborough to Castlemaine brought to you by CMRT as part of the Central Goldfield’s annual “Words in Winter” festival. Forsake the chilly open road, get inside, warm up, meet friends and enjoy the entertainment with us.
Crowd marks future trail with historic walk
More than 60 people made a historic walk to mark part of the future Castlemaine to Maryborough rail trail on Sunday. Mt Alexander Loddon Ward councillor Matt Driscoll unveiled a marker at Strangways. The historic marker declares that the old rail line will become a trail.
Volunteering
Building a groundswell
Steve’s Foskey been involved with CMRT since 2020. Steve’s now a Newstead local. He’s also been a premiership centre half back. More recently Steve took on the lead for CMRT’s Community Engagement & Events Work Team. Steve talked to us about CMRT’s community ambassadors, and what stepping up means.
Community Ambassadors
Welcome to our new community ambassadors! These special volunteers are already having a big impact: from Maryborough to Yapeen, from Castlemaine to Newstead. They are working to connect communities to bring us closer together. The best voice for our trail will be local.
You make us feel valued and informed: CMRT Volunteers
Almost 20 CMRT volunteers shared their praise and feedback about working with us over two virtual roundtables in Autumn. The roundtables were made possible by a $2,000 community grant from the Mt Alexander Shire Council. They were backed by insights from Volunteering Victoria.