Wattle Range Council has made a commitment to allocate Phase 2 funding from the Local Road Community Infrastructure Program to start development of the Coonawarra Rail Trail project. Council Engineering Services Director Peter Halton said $736,052 had been allocated, with the project scope presented to council in January 2019, as part of the council’s Strategic Plan.

“Council has entered into a licence agreement with State Government to allow for the development,” he said. “Staff are working on developing a contract for the tendering of the project, which includes the completion of the detailed scoping. “The project, as detailed, provides for a share trail for walking and cycling between Penola and Coonawarra. “Council is also considering ways in which the trail might link with a Caves Trail being developed by Naracoorte Lucindale Council via the Father Woods site and also link to Greenrise Reserve along the rail corridor in Penola.”

Mr Halton said council had also made an application for further funding to the state government following a report tabled in April. “This is a grant through the SA State Bicycle fund, in which we are seeking a $200,000 contribution to the project against a matching fund of $200,000,” he said.

Mr Halton said it should be noted the original scope for the trail was to build a sealed trail for the first 2km from Penola and Coonawarra and for the remaining trail to be unsealed. “The licence agreement with Department of infrastructure Transport requires the surface to be built to a sealed standard which will impact on the over cost for the project,” he said.