Expression of Interest - Monaro Rail Trail

⁠⁠⁠The project completion deadline for all elements is 22 September 2023. Council is seeking an extension of time for the Biodiversity Report component only but to date this has not been endorsed. Proponents interested in this component of the work should assume an extension will not be granted. It is anticipated consultants for all components of the project will be appointed by mid to late June 2023.

The different components of the project are as follows:

Activity 1: Trail Development Plan (TDP) for stage 2 of the Monaro Rail Trail (MRT)

A Stage 2 TDP would cover 76km of the disused rail corridor consisting of two sections - Queanbeyan Station to Tralee, and Michelago to Cooma.

Traverse of the route for fieldwork to be completed via foot.

- Community and landholder consultation, communication, reports and attendance at meetings

- Identify details and different construction elements, such as bridges, crossings and environmental hazards

- Field work and surveys of the rail trail route

- Preparation of high quality draft reports, including draft breakdown costings

- Meetings and presentations with Snowy Monaro Regional Council and Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council: Executives, staff and councillors

- Liaison with other government agencies as required

- Carry out due diligence searches in relation to Indigenous cultural heritage along the route

- Estimate for EOI: $90,000 to $120,000

Activity 2: Biosecurity report for Stage 1a of the Monaro Rail Trail (MRT)

A report identifying and investigating the Biosecurity issues associated with the rail trail and including a risk assessment and management plan to mitigate the identified issues.

-Estimate for EOI: $10,000 to $30,000

Activity 3: Biodiversity report for Stage 1a of the Monaro Rail Trail (MRT)

The Trail Development Plan for stage 1a of the MRT was recently completed for three sections of the disused rail corridor from Tralee to Michelago (39kms) in the north, and Nimmitabel to Old Bombala Road (10kms), as well as Bombala to Jincumbilly station (24kms) in the south.

Traverse of the route for fieldwork to be completed via foot.

- Examination of potential and actual threatened species within these stated rail corridors sections

- Impact report relating to planning and construction, including potential costs implications

- Risk assessment to identify environment concerns

- Additional reports if required (or as funding permits), such as a Biodiversity Development Assessment Report (BDAR) to avoid impacts

- Estimate for EOI: $90,000 to $110,000

Activity 4: Desktop Study - other rail trails

- Preliminary review of other rail trails

- Costing: Operations, maintenance

- Revenue: How is it raised? User pay function, sponsorship

- Community benefits, including cost-benefit

- Estimate for EOI: $5,000 to $20,000

Further details on requirements for each component are in the explanatory EOI document .