Loddon Tracks and Trails Strategy - Loddon Shire Council

4.6 Economic Benefits of Trails
Studies undertaken elsewhere tend to support the notion that the economic benefit of
trails (particularly off-road rail trails) outweigh their costs. For example:
• The Bicycle Transport Alliance of Western Australia 17 states that the 850km long
Munda Biddi Trail in Western Australia, designed for mountain bikes, is expected
to generate 70 full time and 70 part time jobs when it is fully developed.
• The Mundaring Trail in Western Australia attracted 180,000 people in 2001 and
contributed over $52 million to the local economy, according to The Bicycle
Transport Alliance of Western Australia 18 .
• The iconic Bibbulmun Track in Western Australia attracted 35,000 walkers who
contributed $6.8 million to the economy in 2001 alone 19 .
• The Northern Outer Banks Study undertaken in North Carolina, USA stated that
the cost of building bicycle facilities in that area was around US$6.7 million, but
that the annual economic return (US$60 million) was estimated to be almost nine
times greater than the initial establishment cost 20 .
• Lanesboro Rail Trail in Minnesota, USA brings in an annual economic impact of
more than US$5 million annually 21 .
• Northern Central Rail Trail in Maryland, USA cost $191,893 to establish in 1993.
In that same year, the value of goods purchased by users because of the
existence of the trail was estimated to be in excess of $3,380,000 22
According to a report undertaken by Dr Sue Beeton of La Trobe University, the 8,500
users of the Murray to Mountains Trail over the Easter 2006 weekend alone contributed
$2,141,400 of direct expenditure to the region 23 , whilst the cost to construct the trail thus
far is approximately $6 million (with further works still to occur). The equivalent of 21 full
time jobs were also created during the Easter weekend. Dr Beeton’s research indicates
that the average daily contribution of people using the Murray to Mountains Trail during
Easter 2006 was $258.00 per person (not including multipliers), as detailed in the
following table:
17
Bicycle Transport Alliance of Western Australia – “Cycling in the West” Newsletter (Dec 2001/
Jan 2002)
18
Ibid
19
Ibid
20
Institute for Transportation Research and Education at North Carolina State University –
“Pathways to Prosperity: The Economic Impact of Investments in Bicycle Facilities” (2003)
21
Sjoquist, Gary – “The Economic and Social Benefit of Trails” (2003)
22
Maryland Greenways Commission – “Analysis of Economic Impacts of the Northern Central
Rail Trail (1994)
23
Beeton, Dr Sue, La Trobe University – “Regional Communities and Cycling: the Case of the
Murray to the Mountains Trail, Victoria, Australia (2006)
19