Celebrating the two sections of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail in Tweed and Lismore they have been named NSW best Major Tourist Attraction at the 2026 NSW Tourism Awards, finishing ahead of the Art Gallery of NSW (Silver) and the Big Banana (Bronze). And it’s not even finished!
‘The judges have just ranked an unfinished Rail Trail above the Art Gallery of NSW. Imagine what it could do once it’s finished,’ said Matt Williamson, President of the Byron Bay Chamber of Commerce.
‘Right now, it’s missing its mighty middle, the stretch most visitors want to enjoy, from Crabbes Creek through Mullumbimby, over to Byron Bay and up to Bangalow. We’ve seen what the Tweed section has done: more than 420,000 trips, and new businesses opening in towns people used to drive straight past. Our local businesses, and our community have had a brutal few years and we need this asset built. Let’s connect our communities and unlock our beautiful hinterland for all to enjoy.’
This year the trail moved up into the Major Tourist Attractions category, reserved for attractions drawing more than 100,001 visitors a year. The trail also took Silver in Excellence in Accessible Tourism, recognising the trail is open to everyone, on foot or on wheels. As a Gold winner, the Trail will now represent NSW at the Australian Tourism Awards in Geelong in February, just a few weeks before the State Elections.
Campbell Shepherd, owner of Better By Bike in Tweed and Byron Bay, took home Gold for Tourism Retail, Hire & Services. He said “Without the rail trail we wouldn’t exist. We’ve created six full-time jobs and six more part-time job, including weekend and after-school opportunities for young people.
‘The completed trail has the potential to become one of NSW’s great tourism assets,’ said Campbell Shepherd, owner of Better By Bike in Tweed and Byron Bay.
‘With cycle tourism growing internationally, this is an opportunity to attract visitors, create substantial employment and deliver a vital economic boost to communities across the Northern Rivers. We’re already seeing what the open sections can achieve. Completing the full trail would spread those benefits to many more towns and businesses.’
2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games
With the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games coming to Brisbane in less than six years the Northern Rivers right on the Games’ doorstep.
‘The timing matters. Whoever wins government in March will be in office until 2031, the last full term before the Games. If the trail is going to be ready to welcome the world, that needs the government to fund it,’ say rail trail supporters.
Pat Grier, President of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail Supporters Association said, ‘If there was a finished rail trail it would bring people to the region to stay in our towns and villages, eating in our restaurants, spending in our shops, and carrying that Olympic energy right across the region.
‘The Northern Rivers community has spoken and the judges have spoken. Now we are calling on every business that will benefit from the huge economic boost a complete rail trail will bring to the region, to get behind it.
‘This is more than a rail trail, with 132 kms of accessible, uninterrupted nature, wildlife, old rail bridges and tunnels weaving through the Northern Rivers, it will become one of Australia’s great destinations, right here. Our NSW government needs to plan to have it finished in time for Brisbane 2032 – that’s a vote winner.’
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