Hilltops Council at its October Ordinary Meeting voted to endorse the Boorowa to Galong Rail Trail, with only one Councillor voting against the recommendation. The previous Council had voted against the recommendation earlier this year, with the matter brought back to the October meeting. The recommendation to Council was to approve the request from the Boorowa to Galong Rail Trail Inc to endorse the application to Transport NSW for the formation of the Boorowa to Galong Rail Trail, establish a Boorowa to Galong Rail Trail Oversight Committee as outlined in the report presented to Council, authorise the application for third party access licence (minor activities licence) - to get on the rail corridor and undertake surveys etc, submit to Transport NSW the proposed boundary of the proposed lease area of the rail trail and, upon approval by Transport NSW for an area for the Rail Trail, commence community consultation in accordance with the requirements of the Transport NSW framework. The motion was moved by Cr Flanery and Cr Davis and resulted in Cr Blackwell, Cr Davis, Cr Dodd, Cr Douglas, Cr Flanery, Cr Foreman, Cr Gallo, Cr Mackay and Cr Stadtmiller voting to move the motion. Cr Neil Langford voted against the motion. The Boorowa to Galong Rail Trail committee submitted a letter to Council asking for assistance in continuing the development of the Boorowa to Galong Rail Trail. "To date the Boorowa Galong Rail Trail Inc committee has raised the funds, including $25,000 from Council, to engage consultants to prepare a Feasibility Report and the Rail Trail Development Plan," the letter read. "Both of these reports have been submitted to Council. "The Feasibility Study concluded that the rail trail was technically feasible and that the benefit to the local economy would be in the order of $2.9 million per annum." According to the committee funding for construction of the trail is available through the regional precincts and partnership program 'that will provide amounts up to 100 percent of the eligible expenditure for the project.' "Local Government and not-for-project entities such as the Boorowa Galong Rail Trail Inc committee can apply for funding and partnerships are encouraged. "An eligibility requirement is that the applicant/applicants must have authority for use of the land or infrastructure required to undertake the project." Now that Council has approved the recommendation and the Feasibility and Development plan are in place the committee and Council will be able to move forward with the oversight committee.
