19/11/2024
Amplifying the Benefits of Cross-Regional Trails Through Local Community and Recreational Precincts: An Illustrative “Log of Knowledge” Trails Precinct Proposal.
This is a relatively long Post, so we thank you in advance for taking the time to read it. While it is designed to be ‘illustrative’, it is also based on our experiences and recommendations with regards to the proposed 120km Hunter Region composite Shiraz to Shore cycle trail and Richmond Vale Rail Trail (S2S/RVRT).
One of our recent Posts (14/11/2024) presents a breakdown of the proposed S2S/RVRT trail segments by Federal and State Electoral Boundaries, and by Local Government Areas (LGAs): https://www.facebook.com/richmondrailtrail/posts/pfbid0uEcxavoxNjwUYH4zLMDaAA1QTPAdiTD6r5ParFyvTX5hfJG9Ue3gokaLj31HHXnzl. We would also welcome constructive comments and feedback about this particular Precinct Proposal.
Cross-Regional Trails:
The popularity of rail trails, greenways and other shared walking and cycling trails has grown steadily in Australia and internationally. Most trails are free to use and provide improved community access and connections, health, lifestyle and liveability benefits, together with environmental, safety and commuting benefits. Cross-regional trails can also provide additional economic, cultural/heritage, tourism and diversification benefits, including facilitating connections between local towns, conservation areas and other major regional attractions.
The Rail Trails Australia website currently identifies 188 trails (https://www.railtrails.org.au/trails/), of which only 25 are 40km or more in length (10 in Victoria, 6 in Western Australia, 5 in Queensland, 3 in South Australia, and 1 in Tasmania), with none currently listed for NSW; although the Northern Rivers Rail Trail is expected to total 132km when fully completed. So, the proposed composite S2S/RVRT trail will be a valuable addition to this list of longer cross-regional trails and it will complement other local Hunter Region trails, including the 27km Fernleigh/FAST which now stretches from Adamstown to Murrays Beach.
Having several regional walking and cycling trails, with multi-themed sections, will increase the rates of multi-day stays and return visits to the Hunter, as will the provision of opportunities for visitors to curate their own trail and cycling experiences (in conjunction with exploration of other regional attractions). However, while cycle-tourists tend to stay longer and spend more than non-cycle tourists, the majority of S2S/RVRT users will invariably be local community members (not tourists), as well as day visitors from nearby regions. Consequently, it is essential that the S2S/RVRT strikes a good balance between the potential benefits and impacts for local communities and the predicted Hunter Region wide tourism, recreational and economic benefits.
Across the region, we also need to continue to ensure that other shared pathways are carefully designed and connected to the backbone provided by the core S2S/RVRT – encouraging active transport and facilitating improved linkages between local schools, parks, recreational/sporting facilities, and shopping/business centres – contributing to increased patronage and optimising the cross-regional trail’s longer-term benefits and sustainability.
Having clearly identified and promoted local trails precincts is one possible way to achieve some of these objectives.
Part A: Proposed “Log of Knowledge” Trails Precinct – Background, Potential Trails, and Regional Context.
The background framework that we are trying to foster here is the concept of a sub-regional “Community and Recreational Precinct”, or hub. This is consistent with the place-based approach underlying the Federal government’s ‘Regional Precincts and Partnerships Program’ – which focuses, for example, on the provision of infrastructure for precincts that “… are suitably and strategically designed for their specific contexts and maximise outcomes for their communities”.
In this instance, the notional Precinct that we are proposing is a “Log of Knowledge” Trails Precinct, which is illustrated in Pic01 – being a Precinct that includes three local primary schools, the recently upgraded Kurri Kurri Town Centre, and several key local parks and reserves, including Col Brown Rotary Park, Log of Knowledge Park, Kurri Kurri Central Sports Ground, Spion Kop Reserve, and Pelaw Main and Stanford Merthyr Parks.
We also recommend usage of a Precinct name that does not expressly include S2S or RVRT, so that the primary focus is on the sub-regional context and local communities. Moreover, the historical context that led to the naming of Log of Knowledge Park is perfectly appropriate here – that is, as a community ‘Gathering Point’ (see Pic04) – or in this case, a trails community hub.
The potential trails (or shared pathways) branching from Log of Knowledge Park are illustrated in Pic02 – labelled in a roughly clockwise fashion from T1 (part of Section 3 of the proposed Shiraz to Shore cycle trail) to T7 (the existing Kookaburra Walk). In this instance, the RVRT is trail T4. The link from Log of Knowledge Park to Pelaw Main School (T5) is already in Council’s Works Program (CPW 2022-003) and is scheduled for construction in 2025 (see Pic08 for the proposed route).
As we have noted previously, our preference would be for T1 to run initially along the southern side of Mulbring Street and to largely leave Kookaburra Walk (T7) alone (with some moderate enhancements). In Pic02 we have also located parts of T1 along Boundary Street but it could alternatively run along the full length of Mulbring Street and then use a short section of Lang Street to rejoin the original rail corridor. This would potentially also provide a straightforward local short loop walk around T7 and parts of T1.
More broadly, the Log of Knowledge Trails Precinct could also be framed and promoted regionally as both the Midpoint on the S2S cycle trail and an interesting destination and service point in its own right. Pic03 illustrates the S2S Midpoint aspects of this location (using a modified version of Hunter Joint Organisation’s S2S Map - www.hunterjo.com.au/projects/shiraz-to-shore-cycle-tourism).
Part B: Log of Knowledge Park – History, Current Features, Surrounding Locations, and Opportunities.
Pic04 highlights current infrastructure within or adjacent to Log of Knowledge Park (including the former Empire Tavern), and Pic05 features some of the other nearby local attractions and facilities, including the Town Centre, various statues, and the array of murals. As noted in Pic04, Log of Knowledge Park celebrated its 35th anniversary recently (27/10/2024) and it could certainly do with a spruce-up, together with additional infrastructure to optimize potential S2S/RVRT benefits.
Pic06 (Images A to F) provides some relevant location images, the critical component of which is the Stanford Street underpass, which provides off-road access to Spion Kop Reserve and beyond. [We are also aware that Crown Land Management of this Reserve and Log of Knowledge Park may require some clarification and further investigations]. Pic06 (Images G to L) also provides some additional location images, which further highlight the natural beauty within the proposed Trails Precinct as well as the need to carefully consider the location of road crossings and refuges.
It is also worth noting that although the original RVRT-related assessments (2016 to 2023) and approved plans (May 2023) identified Log of Knowledge Park as the major western trailhead, they obviously did not take into account any subsequent additional demands or opportunities associated with the S2S proposal (August 2024), or other shared pathways or recreational facilities that Council has identified in its newer operational plans.
To address some of the issues and opportunities identified in this Post, an updated Consolidated Concept Plan for Log of Knowledge Park is now required – which we have recently asked Cessnock City Council to consider developing. Importantly, while this Plan needs to consider key S2S/RVRT requirements, it should also be guided by an overarching view of this sub-area as a valued community precinct in its own right – labelled by us as a Log of Knowledge Trails Precinct.
The starting point for the development of an up-to-date Consolidated Concept Plan for Log of Knowledge Park should be the existing documentation – including recent complementary proposals (see Pic07, Pic08 and Part C below), the original RVRT plans (see Pic9), and the S2S components identified in the August 2024 finalised Concept Plan (see Pic10 and Part D below).
Part C: Complementary Proposals.
With respect to trail T2, the recent Kurri Kurri Sports Precinct Landscape Masterplan (April 2024) indicates that a shared pathway can be accommodated in Allworth Street - which would also contribute to an invaluable walking and cycling link between the Town Centre (and Kurri Kurri Primary School) and Log of Knowledge Park. Moreover, this Masterplan includes a new playground (with bike racks) adjacent to Allworth Street, as well as 135 new carparking spaces in Allworth and Coronation Streets – all of which could work in tandem with proposed nearby facilities at Log of Knowledge Park – including, for example, opportunities for a different style of playground at Log of Knowledge Park or nearby (e.g., an adventure playground, zip lines, etc).
With respect to trail T5, it would be sensible to simultaneously construct a 4m-wide shared pathway along the full-length of Spion Kop Reserve to Pokolbin Street (extending the shared pathway in the top-left-hand drawing of Pic08) – which would effectively become the first 500 metres of the RVRT western section; or a 1.3km local shared pathway when added to T2.
Part D: Previous S2S/RVRT Documentation relating to Log of Knowledge Park and Requested Consolidated Concept Plan.
In the March 2022 Review of Environmental Factors (REF) (see Pic9) it was suggested that the Log of Knowledge RVRT Trailhead (for T4) should “… include formalisation of the existing car parks (including reduced mobility parking); an upgraded playground facility; a new toilet block; and trail head art”. However, this assessment did not consider other potential local trails or precinct opportunities, and assumed that this would be the actual trail end-point, which is no longer the case. Indeed, given the overall (multi-trail) Precinct framework that we are proposing, it probably makes little sense to talk in terms of ‘trailheads’ at all (either Minor or Major).
Moreover, the REF that was approved by Cessnock City Council in May 2023 did not include any specific Architectural Plans or other drawings indicating precisely how the Log of Knowledge site should be re-developed; on the other hand, there was a GHD produced ‘General Arrangement’ plan for this location way back in 2016 (see Left-hand side of Pic09).
With respect to the S2S, Pic10 identifies the typical components that the Trail Consultants expected would be provided at Log of Knowledge Park – namely: Bike Repair Station (BRS); Bike Racks (BR); Shelter (SH); Shuttle Transfer Point (SHTL); Toilet (T) [and water]; and Vehicle Parking (VP). Obviously, these need to be included in Council’s Consolidated Concept Plan; however, ideally consideration should also be given to other elements, including: Information (INF) Provision; a Charging Station (CS); and Picnic Tables and Playground Equipment. The former Empire Tavern building would also potentially be an excellent location for a Bike Hire (BH) shop, a Café, and even a Tourist Information Centre (or, at least, a well-stocked Notice Board).
Fitting all or most of these proposed elements into the Log of Knowledge area (and, potentially, parts of Spion Kop Reserve), whilst maintaining the historical integrity of this site, will require appropriate community and specialist consultation. There may also be opportunities to present useful information (and artwork) across a range of themes, including: local history (about Kurri Kurri and surrounds); indigenous history and culture; mining and railway history; and so on.
We believe that the Log of Knowledge Trails Precinct could become an attractive, informative and relatively self-contained addition to the Lower Hunter, benefiting locals and tourists alike. Put simply, trail users should be able to access the facilities and services that they need, and choose from a broad range of walks/rides that suit their interests and timeframes, be it a 1.6km round trip to Kurri Kurri Town Centre, an 8km round trip to Peace Park in Weston, or a 60km round trip to Pokolbin (Wine Country) or Wallsend.
With respect to overall priorities, we believe that the development of a Consolidated Concept Plan for Log of Knowledge Park can probably co-occur with development of a detailed plan (and construction) of a 4m wide shared pathway from Kurri Kurri Town Centre to Pokolbin Street, via Allworth Street and Log of Knowledge Park.
Future grant funding could then be sought to simultaneously build ‘Eastward from (Shiraz) Wine Country’, ‘Westward from the Shore’, and in ‘Both Directions from the Midpoint’!
Finally, even if development of the full S2S/RVRT is some ways off (or fails to materialize), there is merit in the construction of a self-contained local recreational and active transport network centered around Log of Knowledge Park, as further illustrated in Pic11.
Thanks to all of our RVRT and S2S supporters.
Cessnock City Council
Lake Macquarie City Council
City of Newcastle
Hunter Joint Organisation
Dan Repacholi MP
Meryl Swanson MP
Clayton Barr MP, Member for Cessnock
Sonia Hornery MP
Ilovekurrikurri
Newcastle Cycleways Movement
The Richmond Vale Rail Trail (RVRT): Connecting Hunter Region communities, tourism and conservation areas.
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