Riesling Trail Management Committee AGM, 9th October, 2025
I am pleased to present my report for the past twelve months. Since 2020 the number of trail users continues to sit at around 100,000/year, based on five sensors along the trail. Prior to that, numbers had increased from 60,000 15 years ago up to 80,000 by 2019 and then a large jump to 100,000 from 2020 on. At the beginning of this year we installed two extra Trakers to check on more local traffic near Auburn and north of Clare. The one at Auburn, east of the highway, has similar recordings to the one further north, but at Clare the one just south of the Farrell Flat Road bridge has almost four times the number of recordings as the one north of White Hut Road.
Riesling Trail maintenance and developments
As part of our five-year Business Plan, we are continuing to replace the old bridges along the trail. These new ones have steel beams and rails and so are much stronger, required very little on-going maintenance and will last for a very long time. So far, we have replaced five of the seven bridges, having done the one between Maynard and Wendouree Roads in the past 12 months. Special thanks to Trevor Mace for managing this work and to JC Gill for the construction. We also thank the Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing (ORSR) for financial assistance with these. We have recently submitted an application to ORSR for a grant to replace the final two.
Over many years we have added further drainage to the trail to prevent water damage, especially during heavy rainfall. However, this did not prevent a washout along the edges of the trail north of Wakefield Road following a heavy rainstorm. In a major job, Clare Quarry excavated out the gutters to so that they can now carry more water and so not damage the trail. They also did minor repair work at the Mulkiri Road crossing where water has ponded and rutted the trail over many years. We thank them for their excellent work and to ORSR for funding this work.
To improve safety for trail users we have added line markings at all the bitumen strips either side of major road crossings. To save money the Committee had stencils made locally (by Exact Cut, Clare) and painted the markings rather than use contractors. We are also mindful that some of the safety signage along the trail needs improving and so plan to instal 25 new signs and replace 28 faded signs along the trail. We have applied to Clare & Gilbert Valleys Council for a Community Asset grant to assist funding this work.
Following installation of the drinking fountain from SAWater at the south end of Station Road in Clare, we have now installed three more – at Auburn, Watervale and near the northern end of the Clare Showgrounds. These have been made locally by Greg Bryksy at Exact Cut, Clare and installed by Andrew Wallent from Mid North Plumbing Services. This is a much simpler design than the one from SAWater, but very robust and functional. We are very grateful to the adjacent landowners for allowing us to access mains water – from Stephanie Toole (Mount Horrocks Wines, at Auburn, David O’Leary (O’Leary Walker Wines) at Watervale and the Clare Show Society for the one next to the Showgrounds. We are grateful to Rail Trails Australia for financial assistance with those at Auburn and Watervale and Sarah Nash & family for the one next to the Showgrounds. This drinking fountain and the bench seat nearby near the Showgrounds is in memory of their parents John and Pauline Ling. We have also installed a table and seat setting next to the drinking fountain at Watervale, which was funded by a grant from the Waterloo Wind Farm.
After several suggestions over many years, we now have exercise equipment next to the Riesling Trail at the northern end of Station Road, Clare. Special thanks to the Lions Club of Clare District for funding most of the equipment, Clare & Gilbert Valleys Council for preparing the pad and JC Gill and volunteers with the installation.
Having shifted the Clare railway station sign from the eastern end of Lennon Street to the spot along Station Road where the railway station used to be, we decided we still needed a sign there to help visitors find the trail. So, this year we installed a very flash ‘Riesling Trail’ sign made by Clare Signs.
Speaking of signs, there are occasionally reports that the northern end of the Riesling Trail at Barinia can be a bit underwhelming, so Sue Wurst designed an information board about the history of the area. We then had a very nice gathering of locals from that area to inspect the sign and enjoy refreshments.
We are continuing with control of olives (a Declared Pest Plant) along the Riesling Trail to improve the biodiversity (of the bush and bird life) and reduce on-going pruning, especially of olives encroaching onto the trail. After 12 years of solid work, olives along the trail are now in less than 2km of the trail in a 4km section south of Watervale. This past year olives north of Mulkiri Road were cleared by Kilikanoon Wines and the Northern and Yorke Landscapes Board and followed up with planting 800 seedlings. With additional funding from the Landscapes Board, contractors and volunteers have cleared two thick sections north of O’Leary Walker Wines and approx. 1km south of Watervale. Special thanks to Jack Walker and Anthony Koerner for tidying up the heaps of cut olives.
Land transfer
The future transfer of control (or more specifically, ‘custodianship’) of the Riesling Trail land from Crown Lands to the Council is progressing behind the scenes. This will give us greater security of this land for its intended purpose (that is, the Riesling Trail) and enable our trail structures, facilities and artwork to be insured through the Council. This will not be a quick process as there are many sections of land that need to be dealt with. As part of this we have checked all listed easements and non-listed crossings over the trail for Crown Lands.
Supporting the Riesling Trail
There are many supporters of the Riesling Trail, both financially and in other ways.
There always seems to be small, and sometimes not so small, jobs to be done to keep the trail in good condition. I am very grateful for those who are quick to report any issues along the trail and to all our volunteers who help where they can.
We are very grateful for the funding from many sources to help maintain and enhance the Riesling Trail. The Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing has provided on-going financial support, as well as a special allocation (of $21,760) towards repairing rain damage to the trail and improving drainage north of Wakefield Road. The Clare and Gilbert Valleys Council has also provided on-going financial support and help with trail maintenance if needed. In the past 12 months this included preparing the pad for the exercise equipment and clearing a large tree that had fallen across the trail at Penwortham. Other funding sources include Rail Trails Australia. the Northern and Yorke Landscapes Board and the Waterloo Wind Farm.
I especially want to thank all the local businesses and individuals who contribute generously to the Riesling Trail. These contributions are a great help to maintain and improve the trail.
Finally, I wish to thank members of the Management Committee and Monica Trengove for their great work in helping to improve the trail, so it continues to be enjoyed and valued by trail users and the wider community.
Allan Mayfield,
Chairman, Riesling Trail Management Committee
