Brisbane Valley Rail Trail Users Association Inc in Wivenhoe Pocket | Travel and transport

Brisbane Valley Rail Trail Users Association Inc

Locality: Wivenhoe Pocket

Phone: +61 417 342 854

Address: 166 Lockyer View Rd 4306 Wivenhoe Pocket, QLD, Australia

Website: http://www.brisbanevalleyrailtrail.com.au/

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25.01.2022 Six visually impaired riders and pilots are hitting the rail trail today. As President of Lifecycle Cycling Club, I am so happy to support Para-athletes. Nothing is better than seeing others achieve their goals or simply enjoy freedom and adventure against the odds.

25.01.2022 Found on trail:

24.01.2022 Dancing with Magpies An experiment to deter swooping magpies from making contact with cyclists by attaching humane holographic bird scaring tape (used to protect gardens and crops) to the back of a cyclists helmet. These two magpies, known affectionately as the Vernor brothers, at Vernor between Fernvale and Lowood on the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail, have a reputation for coordinated and ferocious attacks during the breeding season such that many users avoid this section o...f the trail. Magpies are smart - the tape may not deter all of them and they may figure out it cant hurt them, but it looks promising. I was well prepared with a DaBrim brim and a headband protecting my ears in case it didnt work, but when I realised the magpies were veering off at the last moment, I felt completed relaxed. Its important to maintain enough speed so the tape streams out behind your helmet. In a few days Ill try it out on the Toogoolawah magpies...wish me luck. :-) Cameras were GoPro Hero 8 on the handlebars and DJI Osmo Pocket gimbal camera on the helmet. https://vimeo.com/457654055

24.01.2022 Township of Esk/Gallanani, Queensland. The township of Esk can be traced back to 1830 when Captain Patrick Logan surveyed the area. This led to the establishme...nt of copper mines called Eskdale and Cressbrook Creek, which also led to the formation of the town. During the 1840s settlers were moving into the region, but it wasnt until 1872 that a township was established. This town was called Gallanani, which is believed to possibly be the name for the eastern swamp hen. In 1874 a post office opened and it was called Mount Esk Post Office. In 1875 Mount Esk State School had opened and in 1876 St Andrews Presbyterian Church was constructed, then the Post Office was renamed Esk in 1881. In 1884 two sawmills were established in the area, followed by the Brisbane Valley Railway being extended from Lowood to Gallanani in 1886. While the town was named Gallanani, the station was named Esk. Also in 1886 the Anglican Parish was formed and for their first few years they operated out of the non-denominational Union Church (St Andrews). The following year in 1887 the school was renamed Esk State School. In 1889 Ellen Webb donated land to the Anglican Church for the construction of St Agnes Anglican Church. The building was designed by Brisbane diocesan architect John Hingeston Buckeridge. In 1902 a rectory and hall were added to the St Agnes grounds. By 1904 the butter factory had just opened adding more industry and jobs to the area. Also in 1904 the Brisbane Railway was extended 19km from Esk Railway Station to Toogoolawah. By 1912 Gallanani had become a primary township in the Brisbane Valley region and the Esk Station was busy transporting freight to Brisbane such as pigs, cattle, timber and condensed milk. In 1913 the town was officially renamed Esk. Sadly by the 1920s the timber industry was declining. During the 1930s Esk and the Brisbane Valley Railway were heavily used during the construction of the Stanley River Dam (named Somerset Dam in 1958 after Henry Plantagenet Somerset). In July 1941 a Lutheran church was constructed. In the 1960s the dairy industry slowed in the area. I cant be 100% certain when construction began on the Brisbane Valley Highway, but reference to it appears on QIMAGERY in 1971. I believe it was an existing track possibly dating back to the 1800s that saw slight improvements at this time by removing bends and possibly surfacing it. Being in the early 1970s it is possible that this has also come from the Wilbur Smith Freeway proposal. As a result to this there was an increased reliance to the trucking industry and the inefficient, slow and hilly rail line of the 1880s became less favourable. In March 1993 the Brisbane Valley Railway finally closed. Since then much of the line has been ripped up with some portions converted into roads. Most of the trestle bridges remain, though some were washed away in recent floods. Since the early 2000s sections of the old railway line were being converted into a Rail Trail for hikers, cyclists and horseback riders. It was hoped that it would result in tourism and breath life into these old towns that have struggled since the railway has closed and industry has disappeared. Over the years one by one each section between major towns was being completed, with the final stage opening in 2018. With this section complete the 161km Brisbane Valley Rail Trail is now the longest in the country. In 2019 it was named Public Works Project of the Year at the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia Awards for Excellence. This park pictured above (named Pipeliner Park) is where the rail yards once stood. Somerset Regional Council opened Pipeliner Park in 2010 as a result to the construction of a drought busting Toowoomba water pipeline built from Lake Cressbrook to Lake Wivenhoe. The council recently have installed one of their pedestrian and cycle counters here to help gather statistics of just how many people are using the trail. I find this rather confusing as at the northern entrance to the park there are signs instructing cyclists to dismount. This would suggest that you cant cycle through the park but can ride a horse? In 2009 the Somerset Regional Council spent $1,700,000 on a library and museum project. The Somerset Regional Council were granted $490,000 from the Queensland Governments Q150 Legacy Infrastructure Fund to assist in its construction. It was constructed next door to the Somerset Regional Council Chambers on the corner of Redbank Street and Heap Street. **The time and effort put towards compiling these articles are unpaid. Any brands or business depicted in my postings are purely coincidental and are done without remuneration. (Taken: 1900/2018) (Source: SLQ/John Prpic) (Like/Share/Tag/Follow) See more

23.01.2022 Magpies do have some uses: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=701060397190612

23.01.2022 The magpie whisperer.

23.01.2022 A big thank you to the Somerset Regional Arts Development Committee, Somerset Regional Council and the Queensland Government for approving and funding our grant application for the Nurinda Underpass Mural Project: From the minutes of the Council meeting yesterday: "Decision: Moved - Jim Filmer Seconded - Cr Isidro... "That the Committee approve an amount of $6,000 for the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail Users Association project "Nurinda Underpass" as submitted." Carried So close to fully achieving our fundraising goal that we're in discussions with Brightsiders about when the project will begin. Hopefully within the next two months. There will be a small change to the project design. The steam locomotive will be black, not green. It's a great story and fully in keeping with the history of the Brisbane Valley Line. Tks. P.

22.01.2022 New Facebook Group for all rail trails in Australia. https://www.facebook.com/groups/589283788351259/

21.01.2022 Can the person who found this charger for Jabra headphones please contact me as I'm unable to find the original message. The owner has made contact. Thanks. P.

21.01.2022 Well done guys, well deserved for all your hard work and dedication behind the 160km run and for building a fantastic community.

21.01.2022 https://fb.me/e/JQs7J1fN

21.01.2022 https://www.facebook.com/NotaFunRun/

21.01.2022 Lost iPhone Gavin Johnstone Looking for an iPhone lost during E2Ex2 on Saturday. I had it Yarraman, didn’t have it in Linville. It’s in a black case with a piece of metal attached to the back for a magnetic car mount. ... Would be great to get it back because it might be my work phone. Thanks.

20.01.2022 Some great photos of "The Yank". Originally imported into Australia during WW2 from the United States to pull troop trains, AC16 saw service on the BVL.

20.01.2022 Now open for registrations.

20.01.2022 Post BVRTUA AGM lunch at Bellevue Homestead. Great venue for an AGM.

19.01.2022 David and Goliath.

18.01.2022 Happy New Year!!!

18.01.2022 Nurinda Underpass Mural Fundraiser event is coming along nicely. 24 horse riders, 22 cyclists, 3 walkers and 2 donations: https://bvrt_mural_fundraiser_event.eventbrite.com.au

18.01.2022 Good news - the trail between Linville and Benarkin has reopened. A big thank you to all the firies who fought the fire. Just be aware there may still be some Parks and Wildlife inspection vehicles on the track.

18.01.2022 Clarendon Station Rd magpie (first one gave up early, passing the baton to his brother): https://vimeo.com/458069493

17.01.2022 Nurinda Underpass Mural fundraiser event on Sunday was well supported with 30 cyclists, 24 horse riders, 2 runners and 3 hikers all starting at different times and from different positions to arrive at the Moore Memorial Hall in Moore for morning tea at about the same time. Not sure how much money we raised yet until we receive the invoice for morning tea.

17.01.2022 Just finished a great 135 km 5 day horse ride from Yarraman to Lowood, magnificently supported by my partner Paul and accompanied by good friend Nadine. A huge... thank you to all who maintain the trail, it was fantastic, well signed, and interesting history along the way. Also to the cyclists we met who were (almost all) friendly and so courteous - a grateful thank you from a nervous horse!!! We stayed in a horse friendly B&B in Blackbutt and then yards in Linville (great pub food) and Showgrounds and everywhere people were lovely. Also learnt magpies ignore horses and there are loads of gates!! Thank you BVRT for a wonderful, if tiring, adventure See more

16.01.2022 Credit card found just north of Turtle Creek Rd nr Harlin.

16.01.2022 A couple of 1" ribbons about a metre long threaded through the rear air vents of your helmet are a good magpie deterrent, but you need to be moving fast enough for them to stream behind you, wriggling a bit like a snake. Use glittering bird scarer ribbon if you can obtain it. You can just see the tips of the ribbons in this video. Combine them with a DaBrim and the maggies stand no chance: https://www.facebook.com/watch/

16.01.2022 Brisbane Valley Rail Trail Users Association President’s Annual report for 2020 The past 12 months have been difficult times for everyone, but despite everything we have all survived and thrived....Continue reading

16.01.2022 Trail etiquette reminders to keep riding trails fun and safe! #TipTuesday Mountain Bikers of Santa Cruz : Sketchy Trails

16.01.2022 Attracting an International Market Currently the primary market for the BVRT is people living in SE Qld, but there's increasing interest from Interstate tourists. We used to get the occasional International visitor pre-COVID and hopefully we'll attract more post-COVID.... Someone who is fairly high up in the hierarchy of BVRT management organisations recently made a comment that the BVRT won't attract overseas visitors until the standard of accommodation and catering has lifted quite significantly. This thought has been rattling around in my mind for a couple of weeks. I quite like it the way it is - most of the accommodation and catering is affordable for everyone. More 3-star than 5-star. What do other people think, especially people who have visited similar trails elsewhere? Do we need to 'lift our game' to attract a more International market? If so, what would you like to change? Thanks. P.

15.01.2022 Our events calendar for the next 12 months is beginning to take shape: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/o/brisbane-valley-rail-trail-

15.01.2022 Still a few places left in the afternoon session of the really interesting magical history tour on Sunday: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/magical-history-tour-40-km-

15.01.2022 Nurinda Underpass Mural Fundraising on track Very pleased to announce that the Nurinda Underpass Mural Project fundraiser on Sunday raised $963.89 towards the project, including a very generous $200 donation from the Brisbane Valley Trail Riders (horse riding group) and TRA and a generous additional $100 donation from one of the participants, Noel Fairclough via GoFundMe. Total raised so far is $12,255.67, so we're getting very close to our target of $12,500, but we need to e...xceed it by a margin due to increased costs incurred at the site for equipment hire due to sloping banks below the walls and preventing water ingress down the walls due to a crack in the bridge infrastructure above. Many thanks to everyone who contributed to help make this great art project happen.

14.01.2022 Wivenhoe Hill Trails

13.01.2022 I love just drifting along on the rail trail, with no particular agenda and not in any particular hurry. It's a form of meditation. I hitched a ride from Moore ...this morning on a very early Out There Cycling shuttle to start from Yarraman at about 6.00 a.m. It was pleasantly cool and the early morning light was just magical. There were only few other kindred spirits out on the trail, so apart from a couple of friendly encounters, I pretty much had the trail to myself. Well worth the 4.00 am start from home.

12.01.2022 Aftermath of the 10 October BVRT bushfire - Benarkin to Linville section https://vimeo.com/467679496

12.01.2022 Celebrating the un-concreted section of the BVRT from Muirlea to Fernvale.

12.01.2022 Excellent photo 1969

11.01.2022 Magpie deterrent no 3. Seen lots of people out on the rail trail recently with titchy little zip ties attached to their helmets all pointing upwards. Your helmet doesnt need protecting. :-) First pick the biggest zip ties you can find. Then place them strategically so they protect the vulnerable bits such as your ears and neck. Combine them with a streaming ribbon threaded through the air vents at the rear of your helmet and a headband over your ears (if anyone asks about t...he zip ties, explain youre participating in a Telstra experiment to deliver free mobile wi-fi to the rail trail). It may look naff, but who cares if the magpies cant get at you? They will still swoop, but they wont make contact.

10.01.2022 https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/brisbane-chicks-who-ride-bi

10.01.2022 BREAKING: The lockdown ends at 6pm tonight, but some precautions will remain in Greater Brisbane for 10 days until 1am on Friday, 22 January. You must carry a... mask at all times. Masks must be worn in indoor places including shopping centres and supermarkets, gyms, places of worship, libraries, public transport, and taxis and rideshare vehicles. Masks must be worn in workplaces if social distancing isn’t possible and it’s safe to do so. You don’t need to wear a mask in private vehicles, while outdoors at a safe distance from other people or if you’re outside doing strenuous exercise. Businesses and venues can have one person per 4m indoors and one person per 2m outdoors. Smaller venues up to 200m can have one person per 2m up to a maximum of 50. You must be seated to eat and drink, and no dancing is allowed except at weddings. Gatherings are restricted to 20 people in homes and public spaces. Weddings and funerals can have up to 100 people, and dancing is allowed at weddings without restrictions. Indoor concert venues and theatres can operate at 50% capacity or one person per four square metres, whichever is greater. Outdoor stadiums can operate at 50% capacity with COVID-safe plans. Restrictions on visits to hospitals, aged care, disability accommodation and prisons will remain. See more

09.01.2022 Just to be clear, concrete pathway is just going to outskirts of Lowood.

09.01.2022 Moore to Linville section

08.01.2022 A lovely two page spread in The Local Bulletin

08.01.2022 A big thank you to Zanows Concrete and Quarries in Fernvale for their continued sponsorship of our free annual Australia Day Bike ride. Free events are of course not actually free, they're free to the user, but insurance and transport costs are around $2000 so we're very grateful for sponsorship to help cover the cost of the event. If any other businesses might be interested in sponsoring this very popular event, please get in touch.... We already have 84 people signed up, so we're expecting between 150 to 200 participants this year. P.

08.01.2022 The story behind the Nurinda Underpass art project Most people won’t be aware, this project has been two years in the making. When vandals posted some not very artistic graffiti on the cement walls of the Nurinda Underpass, I sat on the bench underneath for a while imagining what we could do with the rather ugly space to turn it into a great art asset for the rail trail....Continue reading

07.01.2022 One of our committee members, Harriet, came up with a great idea. Everyone who donates to this great art project will have their name listed on a plaque that will be displayed next to the mural. Then you can point to your name with pride and say you helped to make that happen. Every dollar counts. Lets make it happen.

07.01.2022 I'm sure I've seen this tag somewhere on the BVRT, but I can't for the life of me remember where. Can anyone help? It's a police matter. Tks. P.

06.01.2022 BCWRB ride today. It was a beautiful day.

06.01.2022 Mobile phone services on the BVRT Mobile phone services in rural areas are nowhere near as good as the (more profitable) urban areas of Australia. When venturing out into the bush, Telstra is best, but can still be patchy.... Mobile phone services are available along most of the BVRT, but with some black spots. If a service isnt available, try going on a bit further until you find a spot where there is a signal. Linville to Benarkin is the worst black spot at present. Federal Government Black Spot funding has been allocated for a Telstra tower servicing the Linville area, but no news about when. In the meantime, please be aware there is virtually no signal between Linville and McNamaras camp. However, it improves as you head towards Benarkin. If seeking a mobile phone service in the event of an accident, best to head towards Benarkin if youre north of McNamaras Camp rather than heading down to Linville where service is non-existent to patchy. You can sometimes get a service up by the bridge. The BVRT is an adventure trail. Its important to be well prepared.

05.01.2022 Lots of complaints about the infamous Moore magpies recently. so in the interests of research I deliberately ran the gauntlet today. I was well prepared for action - Da Brim brim attached to my helmet and headband over my ears. As I approached their territory, I maintained a good speed. Sun was in my favour so I could see their shadows as they prepared for the attack. Up went my arm just calmly waving it in a sweeping motion over my head. Swoop, swoop, swoop, lots of beak sn...apping, but no contact. They followed me until nearly the intersection with the DAguilar Highway I think I won that round. Contrary to popular myth, there are only two, but they do coordinate their attacks. Just cover your neck and ears, wave your arm over your head and keep moving until out of their territory. If youre prepared for them, they cant do you any harm. Above all, dont panic. :-)

05.01.2022 To continue the theme of sharing snippets from the campaign to get the BVRT completed, the Brisbane Chicks Who Ride Bikes first ride on the BVRT in July 2015 was significant. I met Chief Chick Jordana Mullan at an event organised by Bicycle Queensland and this ride was organsed a few weeks later . Support by cyclists was a major factor in turning things in the right direction, but the support by women cyclists was a winner with the State Government. This video is also usef...ul as a historical record of what the BVRT was like back then. Things you might notice are the lack of grids at the gates and cement ramps in the gullies. Something you might not notice so much is the green grass on the track. There was a lot less traffic back then when this video was made: https://vimeo.com/131210544 See more

04.01.2022 A big sigh of relief all round - it looks like the COVID restrictions will have completely eased by 26 January, but we will be 100% compliant with COVID safe Industry approved plan for outdoor pursuits. It's going to be a great ride. Currently 150 registrations and no restriction on places.

04.01.2022 Outgoing correspondence to DTMR: Dear BVRT Team Were concerned about the clay sections in the Fernvale to Bayley Rd section. With above average rain predicted in the next few months combined with high traffic in that section, theyre going to become a slippery quagmire. Then, when they dry out, the ruts formed by passing traffic will make those sections as rough as guts.... The approaches to the overly narrow concrete path at Sandy Creek are also becoming eroded and the narrow gate openings are an unnecessary hazard for inexperienced cyclists. These are all safety issues. Do you have plans to fix the problem areas? Thanks. Paul Heymans, President Brisbane Valley Rail Trail Users Assoc

04.01.2022 Did you know, there are lots of geocaches along the BVRT? Great fun for all the family: https://www.geocaching.com/play

04.01.2022 Two new BVRT world records Lachlan Davis from Road Records Assoc. Australia will be making a big announcement later today, but a huge congratulations to both Anna Beck and Joris van der Tang for setting new records for the fastest time to complete a BVRT double End to End during the BVRT E2Ex2 cycling challenge event yesterday. Joris took about 10 minutes off his own previous record with an blistering time of 11:43:54 - so fast that it has been suggested he might have been re...sponsible for sparking the bushfire during his descent down the range from Benarkin. :-) But Anna Beck, what can I say about Anna? Wonder woman! I saw her when she came in - she literally ripped her guts out to record a supersonic time of 13:38:54, taking 4.55 hours off Rebecca Stone's previous record of 18 hr 11 min. I am just in awe. I think that record may stand for some time before anyone manages to beat it. A massive congratulations to both Anna and Joris. We'll be organizing a special award ceremony with Graeme Lehmann, the Mayor of Somerset for both of you soon.

04.01.2022 Just incase you needed any reminders that spring is here Brisbane Valley Rail Trail was "magpie central" over the weekend for cyclist Sarah Roper. She managed to snap this photo of one such encounter. : @sarahk_insta via Instagram

04.01.2022 It seems Sun Brims Australia noticed a spike in their sales following our advocacy of DaBrims as a magpie defence.. Now they want to sponsor some of our events. How good is that?

04.01.2022 Pleasantly cool on the bvrt today. Very light drizzle. Quite a few people out enjoying the trail.

03.01.2022 https://mypolice.qld.gov.au//police-prepare-for-160km-in-/

03.01.2022 BVRT Users Association is pleased to announce the following people were re-elected or elected to our committee at the AGM today: Paul Heymans, President Richard Ward, Treasurer Janet Smith, Secretary... Mark Linnett, Committee member Sheree Bale, Committee member Harriet Cresswell, Committee member Barry Frost, Committee member New members: Michelle (Shell) Evans Stephen Farmer Long standing committee members Ken Wilson and Paul Davis have resigned. We thank them for their dedicated service over the years. We look forward to 2021 confident that a strong and experienced committee infused with new blood will help us to retain our relevance and vibrancy over the next 12 months. Bring it on!

03.01.2022 An iPhone has been lost between Yarramin & Linville. If anyone finds it. It belongs to Gavin Thank youAn iPhone has been lost between Yarramin & Linville. If anyone finds it. It belongs to Gavin Thank you

02.01.2022 Some unique video footage of The Yank, a locomotive that used to operate on the Brisbane Valley Line. https://www.youtube.com/watch

02.01.2022 Great to see both main political parties promising funding for lots of projects to stimulate economic recovery in regional areas. The BVRT is fast becoming a major active tourism attraction in Queensland. How about some money to deck the bridges?... Following the model of the South Burnett Rail Trail, they could be used as training projects for apprentices.

02.01.2022 How does the lockdown affect the BVRT? We've been getting some enquiries, so just for clarification, this is our understanding. The southernmost section of the BVRT is within the Greater Brisbane lockdown area anywhere south of the border with Somerset at Sandy Creek, just north of Borallon Station Rd.... Health directions apply - no more than two may exercise together and must wear masks. If you live within the lockdown area, the BVRT north of that line is currently out of bounds. Anyway, it's going to be a wet weekend... Stay safe everyone.

02.01.2022 Closed means closed. I'm really embarrassed on behalf of everyone who does the right thing to be posting this. We've had reports that some cyclists are ignoring the trail closed sign at Benarkin and Linville. I mean, WTF?... The trail is closed for your own safety due to a bushfire as there are fire trucks and other heavy machinery on the track. If anyone ignores the signs, you will be turned around and escorted back, thus diverting the attention and resources of people fighting the fire. The decision to close a section of the trail is never taken lightly. Please, closed means closed. There is still 140 km of rail trail remaining for you to enjoy. Thank you. P.

02.01.2022 BUSHFIRE UPDATE Linville to Benarkin section of the trail will remain closed tomorrow (Monday) as there needs to be further inspection and removal of burnt trees endangering the track Hopefully the trail will re-open on Tuesday.

01.01.2022 Some photographic reflections about 2020 on the BVRT - floods, bushfires, lockdown rides, post lockdown rides, post lockdown events, fun rides with friends, solo rides, altogether 4,500 km mostly on the BVRT.

01.01.2022 Images from the BVRT Pedal Week event now here!

01.01.2022 HEATWAVE WARNING: The Bureau of Meteorology’s forecast for early next week is for heatwave conditions across much of the south of Queensland, with temperatures ...up to 10 degrees higher than normal. Stay safe, and make sure to drink plenty of water and check in on loved ones and neighbours who might be at risk.