Stage Two – The Pre-Construction Phase

News Flash: Success with State Government Grant of $400,000 announced on 23rd August 2024

Planning for Stage Two, the Pre-construction phase (also known as the Pre Production Project)  commenced in September 2023. It is a two year 4 month project, with a budget of $500,000. It is planned to be completed in May 2026.

Moolort Plains

The primary objective of the Pre-Construction Phase is to produce the Reference Design for the proposed trail. This Reference Design will be used as the blueprint for the detailed design and construction of the trail.

During the project, a Preliminary Reference Design will be produced to be used as an input to inform:

  • Community and landowner consultation
  • Cultural heritage management planning
  • Ecological due diligence

Input to the Reference Design will  be provided by:

  • The Land manager and authorities consultation,
  • the Community and landowner consultation,
  • Cultural Heritage Management Plan,
  • Ecological Due Diligence
  • and the Land manager and authorities’ consultation

This input to the Reference Design – enabling the Preliminary Reference Design to be updated and the finial version, The Reference Design, to be produced.

Other key results and important objectives of the project are:

  • The establishment of an Operating Model for the trail between CMRT and the Central Goldfields and Mt Alexander Shires
  • The establishment of a Lease Agreement with VicTrack for the use of the rail corridor to construct and operate the recreational trail
  • A costed approach and plan for the construction of the trail.

Pre Production Project Update February 2025

CMRT learnt that it had been successful in gaining a Grant of $400,000 from the Victorian Government Enabling Tourism Fund to complete the Pre-Construction stage of the rail trail in August 2024. The $400,000 Grant is supplemented by co-funding of $40,000 from Central Goldfields Shire Council (CGSC) and $40,000 from Mount Alexander Shire Council (MASC). CMRT has contributed $20,000, which was funded by a Grant from Community Bank Avoca, Maryborough, and St Arnaud.

Since August a lot of work has been completed to get the project up and running. A summary of the main achievements so far:

  • CMRT signed an Agreement with the Victorian Government which defines the terms and conditions of the Grant. The Victorian Government is represented by its Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions (DJSIR).

  • A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been developed and signed by CMRT, MASC and CGSC. The MoU formalises the collaboration between the 3 parties during the project, including their financial and in-kind co-investment, and to operationalise Project Governance.

  • The project’s Project Governance Group (called the Project Control Group (PCG)) has been formed, consistent with the MoU and defined by a Terms of Reference document. The role of the PCG is to provide effective governance of the project. The membership of the PCG is comprised of:

    • 2 voting members from each of CMRT, MASC and CGSC

    • 1 non-voting member from DJSIR

    • The Project Director and Project Manager, who are non-voting members and report to the PCG on project progress.

    • The PCG will be chaired by CMRT President Janice Simpson. Janice is also the Project Sponsor for the project.

  • The Project Director role has been assigned to Steve Foskey, CMRT committee member who had a long working career in project management.

  • The Project Manager role has been assigned to Kim Chamberlin from CGSC. Kim is an experienced Project Manager who not only brings his own experience to the project but also the resources of CGSC’s project management office.

  • A Request for Tender (RFT) was released on February 10. The RFT seeks a suitably qualified consulting organization to undertake the work to deliver the Pre-Construction Project. The release of the tender was the result of a lot of work, led and guided by our colleagues at CGSC; Kim Chamberlin and Procurement Specialist Seva Watts. CMRT is extremely grateful to CGSC for leading us through the Procurement process – we have relied heavily on their expertise and experience in this area. We are aiming to complete the RFT process in April 2025 with the engagement of the successful consulting organization.

We envisage that the project will take approximately 12 months to complete, starting In May 2025 at the completion of the RFT process. Under the terms of the Grant Agreement CMRT has entered into with the Victorian Government, the project must complete by May 30, 2026.