mmg.com.au

Mitchell Shire councillors took a first-hand look at the Goulburn River High Country Rail Trail last week.

The nine councillors, staff, representatives of cycling and horse riding groups and three landowners inspected parts of the trail in Mitchell Shire.

They included the parts where safety concerns have been raised, including the Tallarook swimming pool car park, road crossings on Upper Goulburn Rd, the area near the memorial cairn — where it is possible horse riders could be asked to start from should the early part of the trail be closed off to them — and a 3km section which is just 4.2m wide.

Horse riders fear they could be banned from all or part of the Mitchell Shire section of the trail due to safety issues. They believe the narrower part of the trail should be widened to include more of the 30m-wide road reserve.

One issue raised was the cost of maintaining the trail, which is about $1000 per kilometre each year. Almost of of the money for the 17km Mitchell Shire section will be taken up on the three toilets en route. However, horse riders say they will assist in maintaining it, as happens elsewhere.

Councillors were due to hold a strategy session on the matter on Monday night. Any local law relating to the use of the trail in the shire appears at least one month away from being drafted.