About Brisbane Valley Rail Trail

About the trail

The Brisbane Valley Rail Trail, or BVRT, is an off-road adventure trail that follows the disused Brisbane Valley rail line from Wulkuraka, west of Ipswich, to Yarraman, west of Kilcoy. The Brisbane Valley Rail Trail provides walkers, bike riders and horse riders with a unique opportunity to experience the diverse rural landscape of the Brisbane Valley mixed with heritage-listed and historic sites while passing through some of Queensland's most unique country towns. With the final link between Toogoolawah and Moore completed in 2018, the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail is the longest rail trail in Australia, spanning 161km. Most of the trail is now an excellent compounded gravel grading that provides a relatively smooth run, although there is the odd rocky section and you should always remain vigilant on rougher areas. Bikes, hybrid or mountain bikes are most suitable—road bikes are not recommended. The section from Linville to Benarkin has a rough gravel surface with some rocky sections. From Linville to Blackbutt, the trail gradually rises through the Blackbutt Range, with a number of creek crossings that are moderately steep.

Bike tourism case study: Brisbane Valley Rail Trail

Discover the benefits of bike tourism and the results of the research commissioned by the Queensland Government. Learn about the revitalization of the region and the thriving businesses along the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail (BVRT).

 

History of the Brisbane Valley railway line

The Brisbane Valley railway line was a branch line from the Brisbane-Toowoomba railway line designed to access timber resources from the Brisbane River Valley. In June 1884, the first section from Brisbane Valley Junction (later Wulkuraka) to its terminus at Lowood was officially opened. The second section of the branch line, from Lowood to Esk, opened in 1886.

The railway from Esk to Moorabool (later Kannangur then Yimbun) was developed in 1904. In 1908, the extension to Blackbutt was approved and work commenced that same year before Harlin, Moore and Linville opened in 1910.

In 1911, the railway was again extended from Linville up the Blackbutt range (Blackbutt and Benarkin) to allow for large consignments of timber from the range to local and Brisbane mills. In May 1913, the final section to Yarraman was completed with the branch line running up until it was closed 76 years later in 1989.

Removal of the rail line commenced in 1993 with many of the old station buildings either removed, used on other lines or sold off. The only ones that remain within their districts are Yarraman, Linville, Toogoolawah, Esk, Coominya and Lowood.

Brisbane Valley Rail Trail Steering Committee Expressions of Interest

The Brisbane Valley Rail Trail Steering Committee forms an integral part of the governance structure for the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail. It includes representatives from the Department of Transport and Main Roads, local councils and the community.

The committee provides a forum to share ideas, provide recommendations and identify opportunities relating to the development and management of the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail.

We seek experienced and enthusiastic professionals and community members to fill vacant volunteer positions on the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail Steering Committee. The Steering Committee meetings are held at least 4 times yearly. The meetings will be held online or in person on a weekday at Fernvale, Esk or Moore. Committee Members are expected to be available to attend the majority of the scheduled meetings.

We invite you to apply for a position on the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail Steering Committee. Download the Expression of Interest Guide for more information and application details.

Applications close 21 November 2023.

Major Brisbane Valley Rail Trail projects

New trailhead at 163 Grace Street, Wulkuraka

The new trailhead, also known as a start-of-trip facility, at 163 Grace Street, Wulkuraka, is now open and offers improved start-of-trip facilities for Brisbane Valley Rail Trail (BVRT) users.

The facility includes:

• off-road monitored car parking for up to 36 vehicles
• a bus layover area for safe loading and unloading of bikes and equipment
• toilet facilities
• shade shelters with picnic tables and bench seats.

The Wulkuraka trailhead provides connections to the Brassall Bikeway network and the historical city of Ipswich, allowing visitors to explore various attractions before or after their journey. The new facility will help revitalise the local area and provide an alternative to the current practice of on-street parking around Wulkuraka and Brassall.

The Queensland Government fully funded the $595,000 project.

Lockyer Creek Railway Bridge Rehabilitation Project

In 2018, the department commenced major rehabilitation works to the Queensland heritage-listed Lockyer Creek Railway Bridge, located on the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail between Lowood and Coominya, due to the poor condition of the bridge.

The project involved replacing all of the timber components and abrasive blasting and repainting of the steel truss. A new pathway for pedestrians and bike riders has also been installed on the bridge which has been designed to increase the safety of trail users and deliver an important all-weather crossing across Lockyer Creek.

The restoration of timber bridges, particularly those of heritage significance, is becoming increasingly rare so this project was a major achievement for the department. It took:

• over 8,500 labour hours to complete
• 1,200m of hardwood timber to replace the timber components
• 4,400t of road base and rock fill to build the crane pad
• 4,300 rivets, 946 bolts, 1,892 washers and 840 litres of paint to restore the steel truss.

The bridge is a major feature of the BVRT being one of only 2 heritage-listed structures on the trail along with the Yimbun Railway Tunnel near Harlin.

Trail management

TMR is the state agency responsible for the day-to-day management and maintenance of the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail in conjunction with Ipswich City, Somerset, South Burnett and Toowoomba Regional Councils, and the Ambassadors of the BVRT.

In April 2021, TMR released the first five-year Brisbane Valley Rail Trail Strategic Plan, which provides a fundamental blueprint for the future management and ongoing development of the BVRT into Australia's greatest rail trail. To find out more detail, download the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail Strategic Plan.

Seqwater’s network pipeline traverses the BVRT between Pine Mountain and Coominya. TMR has partnered with Seqwater in an effort to better maintain the trail along this section with the bulk water supplier providing funding towards land management costs, including slashing and weed control.

If you have any maintenance requests or concerns about the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail, email bvrt@tmr.qld.gov.au. 

Report an incident

If you experience an incident or accident on the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail, complete the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail Incident Report form f5331 and send it to TMR as soon as possible. This form will be used to assist TMR to investigate incidents or accidents that have occurred on the trail.

Plan your trip now!