Mary To Bay Rail Trail

Project Overview

A rail trial is a multi-use recreation trail running on a disused rail corridor (public land) for non-motorised recreation including walking, riding and sometimes horse riding making it appealing to numerous potential user groups. In 2019, Fraser Coast Regional Council endorsed a Feasibility Study for a possible rail trail from Stockyard Creek to Maryborough thus completing the Mary to Bay Rail Trail. This study has been the guiding documents for the development of the trail to date.

At Council’s Ordinary Meeting held on 27 April, 2022 it was resolved to call for membership of the Fraser Coast Regional Council Mary to Bay Rail Trail Advisory Committee. This committee will provide a forum for community and user groups to make recommendations to Council on the development and management of the Mary to Bay Rail Trail.

Expressions of Interest have now closed for the Mary to Bay Rail Trail Committee. Council considered submitted nominations at the monthly Ordinary Meeting held on July 27, 2022. Committee members have now been appointed.

For further information on the proposed M2BRT project, click here to view the Master Plan.

Rail Line History

The former railway branched off the North Coast main line at Colton, just above Maryborough. It reached Pialba in 1896 and was extended to Urangan in 1913. The line carried out a lot of pineapples from local farms and goods from the Urangan Pier and brought in a lot of picnic trains from Maryborough.  The last section of the line closed in 1993. The rails are still in place from Colton to Takura.

The proposed Mary to Bay Rail Trail will connect Hervey Bay to Maryborough. A significant portion of the proposed Mary to Bay Rail Trail already exists. A completed rail trail from Maryborough to Hervey Bay will cover a distance of some 48 kilometres.