In the lush landscape of the Northern Rivers region in New South Wales, a passionate group of community advocates is battling to restore a dormant railway line.
Northern Rivers Rail Limited (Ltd), a not-for-profit company, is spearheading an ambitious campaign to secure the licence to restore the 72-kilometre railway corridor between Lismore and Yelgun at the top of Byron Shire.
Led by company co-founder and Director Lydia Kindred, the group is challenging perceptions around the feasibility and value of reviving local train services.
“We’re standing up for the rights of all the people in this region, and the visitors who would love to be able to get around and visit all these local towns more easily,” Kindred said.
“We have over 315,000 people who live in our region and we welcome millions of visitors each year.
“Byron Bay is known all around the world and to have a viable local train service would change everything. It’s a no-brainer, as far as we’re concerned.”
Kindred said trains would also make transport more accessible for young people, disabled people and the elderly.
“There are buses here, but they don’t run very frequently,” she said. “We’re losing our youth from the region, partly because we haven’t got much public transport – they are moving to Brisbane and Sydney.
“I know one lovely older lady who can’t visit her sister in Mullumbimby because she doesn’t have a car and she can’t really get the bus. It’s quite isolating.”
The Murwillumbah railway line, which ran from Casino to Lismore, Byron Bay, Mullumbimby and Murwillumbah, first opened in 1894, but Kindred said the heyday of trains on these services was the 1970s and 80s. From 1973, the Gold Coast Motorail transported passengers and cars between Sydney and Murwillumbah, and in 1978 the North Coast Overnight Express was introduced to meet increasing demand.
“You could put your car on the train at Murwillumbah, have a meal and a couple of drinks, and wake up in the morning and your car’s there in Sydney,” said Kindred.
“There was also a freight service to Sydney and back, and a morning and an afternoon passenger service.
“Families would get the train in the morning, spend the day at the beach in Byron, have a great time and get home safely on the train in the afternoon.”
In 1990, the Gold Coast Motorail and North Coast Overnight Express were replaced by a CountryLink XPT that ran as a night service, with reduced seating capacity leading to a drop in patronage.
“It would come into our region at about 9pm and do the rounds, and go out again at 11pm,” Kindred said.
“It was to fit in with Sydney times but no-one was really going to use it at that time of night.”
When the last train left Lismore Railway station in 2004, a crowd of about 200 dejected locals turned out in mourning, carrying candles, a mock coffin and protest signs.
“We only had one service, but it was something at least, and we had lost it.
“I was on that last train journey, and it was very emotional.”
Kindred said that as its first priority, Northern Rivers Rail Ltd is hoping to extend a similar service to what is currently being provided by the Byron Solar Train, with the first stage extending from Byron Bay to Mullumbimby, and the second stage between Byron Bay and Bangalow.
“We’re calling it the Country to Surf Train – people could just hop on the train with their surfboards and get to the surf like they used to in the old days.
“The views there are to die for, it would be such a tourist attraction as well as locals being able to use it. The potential is huge.”
The topic of restoring the Northern Rivers Railway is a controversial one in the region, with parts of the railway already converted into a rail trail for cyclists and walkers.
According to data released by the Tweed Shire Council, the 24 kilometre trail between Murwillumbah and Crabbes Creek attracted more than 70,000 users in four months when it opened in March 2023.
Kindred said that Northern Rivers Rail Ltd supports in principle the idea of a bike trail running alongside the restored railway, but the company’s focus is to reintroduce a train service.
“Having both will be a win-win for the whole region, as each element will complement the other,” she said. “Bike riders and walkers can use the train to ride back, on a comfortable, all-weather service, running throughout the day and into the night. This type of public transport is much needed in our region.”
“The rail trails in our railway corridor have pulled up the tracks on each end, so we’re working to not let that happen to the rest of the 72 kilometres of our remaining railway line.”
A government study from 2013 found that fixing the tracks and bringing railway services back to the Northern Rivers region would cost over $900 million.
However, a 2019 degradation study carried out by a leading engineering company found that the track “appeared to be in reasonable condition” in the areas inspected. “It was much better than they expected,” Kindred added.
Northern Rivers Rail Ltd has prepared a business case for the restoration of the railway. This has been presented, along with other required reports, to relevant transport authorities.
At the time of going to print, the company was working on raising the $29 million needed for the first stage of the project.
“We are looking for major transport infrastructure partners to get on board and invest in the Country to Surf Train, which will be powered by renewable energy technology.”
Although the odds might be against Kindred and the rest of the rail supporters in the area, she’s determined to keep fighting.
“This is an exciting infrastructure project for regional New South Wales that aligns with government targets to lower transport emissions,” she said.
“I’m able to stay positive because I really believe I’m doing the right thing for the region, which deserves a better non-road public transport future.
“I’m not giving up.”
