John Barilaro also told a meeting yesterday that following a change of ministry, he and Industry NSW decided how the process should move forward.

Mr Barilaro, who has only held the role a few months, met with representatives from the Goulburn to Crookwell Rail Trail group yesterday at Riversdale.

Opposing landholders, Andrew and Katrina Nixon from Roslyn also attended, along with Upper Lachlan Shire Council mayor John Shaw and general manager John Bell, Goulburn MP Pru Goward and Industry NSW representative, Chris Hanger.

Ms Goward invited Mr Barilaro to clarify the so far controversial process surrounding rail trail funding.

He admitted that many were under the impression from an announcement three weeks ago that the State was directly committing $50 million to the Casino to Murwillumbah in the Northern Rivers and the Rosewood to Tumbarumba rail corridors.

In fact it was just to call expressions of interest from parties along those lines for management, construction, promotion, community liaison and more.

“Maybe we needed to clarify that earlier…That’s what today is about,” he told the Post.

That process would refine guidelines for the trails and underpin a further expression of interest round.

“At the end of that it will go to Industry NSW to check that the proposals stack up and it will be open to everyone else,” Mr Barilaro said.

“We won’t make a single announcement until those guidelines are opened to everyone to go for a chunk.”

But he warned that each proposal, including Goulburn to Crookwell’s 56km plan, had to demonstrate an economic return, address community concerns including biodiversity impacts on agriculture, access and much more.

 In the meantime, Industry NSW will examine the 14 lodged proposals, identify and highlight gaps to allow groups to lodge more comprehensive expressions of interest.

Mr Barilaro said Northern Rivers and Tumbarumba were chosen simply because the government was working with them from earlier last year.

Mr Bennett asked why Goulburn didn’t have the same opportunity.

“You will have the opportunity once we get through this,” Mr Barilaro replied.

For the first time, the Minister revealed government would not fund rail trails entirely. Instead, proponents would be expected to raise private and other co-funding.

But not everyone was so enthusiastic for the local plan.

Mr and Mrs Nixon argued the money could be better spent on ‘substandard roads’ in the Shire.

Moreover, the trail would run 2.2km along four of their paddocks, raising biodiversity issues and risk that people wouldn’t shut gates for stock.

Mr Nixon told the meeting that soil testing had revealed sleepers and soil on the track contained arsenic and other chemicals. He questioned whether there was a plan to deal with this.

“Does that mean properties will have to be quarantined,” he asked.

The Nixons are also worried about insurance implications given that people would be walking and riding through their land.

Mr Barilaro said these were all serious matters that had to be addressed.

Chairman of the local rail trail group, Cr Bob Kirk said the Minister’s explanation “took the wind out of his sails.”

“My interpretation was different,” he said.

“He’s saying this is only to establish the guidelines but that certainly wasn’t made clear before.

They’re paying the bills and that’s their prerogative.”

Nevertheless, Cr Kirk was happy with the meeting, felt more informed and “appeased” that at least the trail would have a crack at a slice of the $50m.