Country Labor candidate for Goulburn Ursula Stephens has weighed in, labelling the outcome as simply “ridiculous”.

“The proponents are hugely disappointed by what’s gone on, because they were led to believe by everyone concerned that theirs was an exceptional submission,” Dr Stephens told the Post.

“The whole $100 million for Regional Tourism Infrastructure was announced by former Nationals leader Andrew Stoner last year without any guidelines, any application forms or any assessment processes. It was a pork-barrel fund…

“Bob Kirk and his group have worked incessantly knowing how State Government funding programs work and there has been no transparency and no accountability about the funding guidelines. It’s just pathetic.”

She took aim at sitting Liberal member Pru Goward.

“What has Pru actually done to fight for this project? It seems to me Pru Goward was very happy to be on the front page of the Goulburn Post when the submission was presented, and is now missing in action when they have missed out,” Dr Stephens said.

Twelve rail trail committees from across the State submitted applications to the government in early December.

The 56km Goulburn to Crookwell line was among them but last week Regional Tourism Minister John Barilaro decided to support the Casino to Murwillumbah (Northern Rivers) and the Rosewood to Tumbarumba rail corridors.

But, as it turns out, no submissions were evaluated at all due to the fact there was no readily available money for rail trails.

Ms Goward explained she was equally confused as everyone else.

“It’s been very confusing. I don’t think the Minister’s office made clear enough that there was no money on the table in the short run… I’m very disappointed and frustrated myself,” Ms Goward said.

“It’s not a matter of this electorate being overlooked or me not working hard enough. Mr Barilaro told me on several occasions how great the submission was. What we hadn’t appreciated was that the submissions wouldn’t be considered until they work out how to go about the process…

“There’s confusion all around. Ursula doesn’t know anything about state government or State policy and I don’t blame her for being confused, but it’s a bit unnecessarily aggressive to blame me for it.”

Ms Goward speculated pilot programs in the Northern Rivers and Tumbaruma/Rosewood were in the works due to high tourist traffic.

Both the Ballina and Albury rail lines had been closed around the 1940s, she said, and were at no risk of reopening.

A spokesperson for Mr Barilaro said the Northern Rivers and Tumbarumba rail lines would be used to “test the process to develop recreational rail trail projects”.

“I think we’d probably all agree it needed to be made a lot clearer that submissions would not and could not be considered because the government had not developed a process for parliament,” Ms Goward continued.

“We’ve got time now to build up that strong community support. We’ll get there eventually because we have a very strong local tourism market and two councils willing to support the upkeep.”

Chairman of Rail Trails for NSW Inc John Moore has labelled the turn of events as “negative and demoralising” to the rail trail committees involved.

“On the surface the announcement has been fantastic news for all of the rail trail committees, however it seems the State Government will commit the $50 million to only two rail trails.”

Mr Moore questioned the need for pilot programs at all, given the successful operation of rail trails in other areas of NSW and Victoria.

“A look over the border to Victoria or at the existing Fernleigh Track rail trail will show a pilot is not necessary. Those established rail trails demonstrate their success…

“We urge the Government to review the guidelines to allow all applications to be assessed.”

Chairman of the Goulburn to Crookwell Rail Trail Inc Bob Kirk told the Post he and members were under the impression applications would be judged based on merits, for “a slice of the rail trail funding pie”.

“We understood that there was a $50 million amount allocated out of this regional infrastructure fund for rail trails throughout NSW and that there were some guidelines for applying and processing those application to be issued by the government working party. We waited and we contacted the government seeking those guidelines but they weren’t forthcoming,” Mr Kirk said.

“We’ve received no guidance and no leadership on the matter, and up until this latest announcement we’ve had no direction as to how this $50 million rail trail fund could be allocated.”

While making no mention of pilot programs before the announcement, Mr Barilaro’s spokesperson remained adamant that “the EOI guidelines published concurrently with the (last Tuesday’s) announcement clearly discusses the pilot process”.

“Given consideration of legislative requirements, governance and ongoing management issues, it is important to get the process right,” the spokesperson said.

“There are a number of rail trail groups, including the Goulburn-Crookwell project, which have presented their proposals to Government for consideration. Given the assessment process was not open at that stage, no projects have been either successful or unsuccessful… 

“There is no reason why this couldn’t include an investment in lines in the Goulburn-Upper Lachlan area in the future, if there is enough community support.”

NOT everyone is displeased with the results of rail trail funding allocations.

Some local landowners are relieved by the decision.

Roslyn landowner Andrew Nixon, in a letter sent to Goulburn MP Pru Goward and forwarded to the Post, expressed concern that a developed track between Goulburn and Crookwell could impact his business.

Mr Nixon detailed his family’s long history farming on Woodhouselee Rd property ‘Merryvale’, producing food and fibre.

If a rail trail was developed, it would cut through four of the property’s paddocks.

“We are dismayed that the proposed rail trail could have serious implications on our ability to continue to produce safe food, apart from the physical constraints that affect management,” Mr Nixon wrote.

He highlighted the impact on livestock access to water, movement of stock and machinery across the line, concerns over the use of aircraft for aerial agricultural practices, security and trespass, farm biosecurity, the spread of noxious weeds, fire safety and property value.