Grange Planning Brain

title: Tracks and Trails Strategy 2023-2033 council: golden-plains state: vic category: strategy classification: MINOR status: adopted last_compiled: 2026-05-30 source_docs:

  • Att 7.8.1 Tracks and Trails Strategy 2023-2033.pdf
  • Att 7.8.2 Tracks and Trails Strategy - Detailed Action Plan.pdf
  • Att 7.5 - GPS_Tracks and Trails Strategy_Draft Report_Summary_Nov23.pdf
  • Att 7.5.2 - GPS_Tracks and Trails Strategy_Draft Detailed Action Plan_15112023.pdf

Tracks and Trails Strategy 2023-2033

The Tracks and Trails Strategy turns Golden Plains Shire’s trail network from a collection of local recreation assets into a ten-year prioritisation framework for maintenance, township connections, regional trail advocacy, and trail activation (Source: Att 7.8.1 Tracks and Trails Strategy 2023-2033.pdf, p.4). Its main planning effect is not statutory land-use change; it is the creation of a governance, feasibility, funding, and maintenance pipeline for approximately 265 km of existing Council-managed tracks and trails and 211 km of proposed tracks and trails (Source: Att 7.8.1 Tracks and Trails Strategy 2023-2033.pdf, p.30).

The Strategy is strategically important for active-transport, open-space, recreation-planning, tourism-planning, and township-connectivity, but it remains a MINOR initiative because the source documents do not establish a rezoning, development contributions mechanism, committed capital works program, or statutory amendment pathway (Source: Att 7.8.1 Tracks and Trails Strategy 2023-2033.pdf, pp.24-31).

Background

Golden Plains Shire is positioned between Geelong and Ballarat, covers 2,702 km², and recorded a 2021 population of 24,985 people across 56 rural communities (Source: Att 7.8.1 Tracks and Trails Strategy 2023-2033.pdf, p.8). The Strategy is framed around growth pressure as well as recreation demand, with the source reporting expected construction of 2,391 additional dwellings in Bannockburn and 1,020 additional dwellings in the north-west of the Shire by 2036 (Source: Att 7.8.1 Tracks and Trails Strategy 2023-2033.pdf, p.8).

The Strategy defines tracks and trails as the recreational trail network focused on Council-managed walking, trail running, mountain biking, cycling, and horse riding routes, while excluding urban footpaths (Source: Att 7.8.1 Tracks and Trails Strategy 2023-2033.pdf, p.4). The project methodology included background review, trends analysis, consultation, on-ground trail audit and mapping, an issues and opportunities paper, a draft strategy and detailed action plan, and a final strategy and detailed action plan (Source: Att 7.8.1 Tracks and Trails Strategy 2023-2033.pdf, p.7).

The November 2023 draft documents and February 2024 final documents show the Strategy moved from draft consultation material to a final implementation package with the same five-goal structure: integrated planning and management, existing trail quality, new trail development, information and marketing, and community, tourism and economic development (Source: Att 7.5 - GPS_Tracks and Trails Strategy_Draft Report_Summary_Nov23.pdf, pp.5, 24-29; Source: Att 7.8.1 Tracks and Trails Strategy 2023-2033.pdf, pp.5, 24-29).

Analysis

Governance Is the First Infrastructure Item

The Strategy’s first mechanism is institutional rather than physical: it proposes a Trail Planning and Development Officer, a Trail Control Group, and Trail Working Groups to coordinate Council departments, land managers, Traditional Owners, user groups, and external agencies (Source: Att 7.8.2 Tracks and Trails Strategy - Detailed Action Plan.pdf, pp.6-8). This matters because many proposed trails require road-reserve use, Crown land, conservation estate, rail corridors, or adjoining council coordination, so a trail cannot move from community idea to constructed asset without a repeatable governance pathway (Source: Att 7.8.2 Tracks and Trails Strategy - Detailed Action Plan.pdf, pp.6-9).

The proposed eight-stage trail development process is the Strategy’s main risk-control tool, moving projects through trail proposal, framework, site assessment, concept planning, corridor evaluation, detailed design, construction, and evaluation (Source: Att 7.8.2 Tracks and Trails Strategy - Detailed Action Plan.pdf, p.9). In plain planning terms, this is the Strategy’s filter: a community-supported route is not treated as ready for delivery until tenure, corridor feasibility, design, approvals, cost, and post-construction evaluation have been worked through (Source: Att 7.8.2 Tracks and Trails Strategy - Detailed Action Plan.pdf, p.9).

The governance model also reflects a maintenance liability issue because the Strategy states that trail development, management, and maintenance need adequate resourcing and integration into Council’s maintenance and risk-management systems (Source: Att 7.8.2 Tracks and Trails Strategy - Detailed Action Plan.pdf, p.6). Without that mechanism, new trails would add assets faster than Council can inspect, repair, sign, and promote them (Source: Att 7.8.1 Tracks and Trails Strategy 2023-2033.pdf, pp.30-31).

Existing Network: Large Asset Base, Uneven Quality

The final Strategy identifies approximately 265 km of existing Council-managed tracks and trails and 211 km of proposed tracks and trails (Source: Att 7.8.1 Tracks and Trails Strategy 2023-2033.pdf, p.30). That means the proposed network would increase the managed or planned trail task by roughly 80% relative to the existing 265 km base if all proposed trail length were ultimately delivered (Source: Att 7.8.1 Tracks and Trails Strategy 2023-2033.pdf, p.30).

The action plan lists 36 existing trail actions under Goal B, ranging from short local walks such as the 550 m Lethbridge Lake trail to the 54.7 km Ballarat to Skipton Rail Trail (Source: Att 7.8.1 Tracks and Trails Strategy 2023-2033.pdf, pp.25-26). The highest-priority existing-trail actions include Bannockburn Bushland South, Bannockburn Bushland North, Bruce’s Creek, Rainbow Bird Trail, Dereel Lagoon, River Track Inverleigh, Leigh River and Barwon Junction River Trails, Jubilee Mine Historic Walk, Kuruc-a-ruc Trail, Ballarat to Skipton Rail Trail, Steiglitz Historic Walk, Friday’s Trail, and the Shelford-Bannockburn Road bike/walking path (Source: Att 7.8.1 Tracks and Trails Strategy 2023-2033.pdf, pp.25-26).

The community evidence explains why the existing network is treated as an upgrade program rather than only a promotion program: 85% of the 197 online survey respondents highly valued existing tracks and trails, while 57% felt existing tracks and trails were not well maintained or connected, 56% felt tracks and trails were not well promoted, and 52% felt they did not cater to all abilities (Source: Att 7.8.1 Tracks and Trails Strategy 2023-2033.pdf, p.17). The practical planning implication is that Council cannot rely on the existing trail inventory alone to meet access, safety, visitor, and active-living objectives; the network needs condition, signage, accessibility, and connectivity works before broader promotion can safely increase use (Source: Att 7.8.2 Tracks and Trails Strategy - Detailed Action Plan.pdf, pp.64-66).

The Strategy identifies 17 new trail development or external trail opportunities, including Inverleigh to Bannockburn, Bannockburn to Geelong Principal Bicycle Network, Bannockburn to Teesdale, Bannockburn to Bannockburn Bushland, Bannockburn to Lethbridge, Moorabool River, Haddon to Smythes Creek, Leigh/Barwon River Junction Trail extension, Yarrowee Creek, Ross Creek to Smythesdale, Woady River Track, Woady Yaloak Wetland Development Concept Plan trails, Teesdale to Shelford, Shaws Road to Native Hut Creek, Ballarat to Skipton Rail Trail to central Ballarat, Ballarat to Geelong, and Goldfields Track (Source: Att 7.8.1 Tracks and Trails Strategy 2023-2033.pdf, pp.21-28).

The highest-priority new local connections are concentrated around Bannockburn, Inverleigh, Teesdale, Lethbridge, and the Geelong-facing side of the Shire: Inverleigh to Bannockburn is 15 km, Bannockburn and Inverleigh to Geelong’s Principal Bicycle Network is 19 km and 28 km respectively, Bannockburn to Teesdale is 10.4 km, Bannockburn to Bannockburn Bushland is 2.6 km, Bannockburn to Lethbridge is 13.6 km, Leigh/Barwon River Junction Trail Extension is 1.3 km, and Teesdale to Shelford is 5.7 km (Source: Att 7.8.1 Tracks and Trails Strategy 2023-2033.pdf, pp.27-28). These projects respond directly to consultation themes calling for safe walking and cycling connections between townships separated from busy roads (Source: Att 7.8.1 Tracks and Trails Strategy 2023-2033.pdf, p.18).

The Inverleigh to Bannockburn project shows the delivery mechanism clearly: the detailed plan proposes use of Bruce Creek Trail, Ware Street, Harvey Road, Bannockburn Bushland, Masons Road, Spring Creek Road, and Hamilton Highway, but requires VicRoads consultation, feasibility work, concept design, associated cost inclusion in a development contributions plan, detailed design, approvals, funding, construction, and later promotion (Source: Att 7.8.2 Tracks and Trails Strategy - Detailed Action Plan.pdf, pp.30-31). The route is therefore not a shovel-ready capital work; it is a staged planning project that depends on road-reserve feasibility, agency agreement, design, and funding (Source: Att 7.8.2 Tracks and Trails Strategy - Detailed Action Plan.pdf, pp.30-31).

The Ballarat to Geelong rail trail is the largest spatial idea in the Strategy, with an 84 km regional link proposed along the live railway line through Elaine, Meredith, Lethbridge, Bannockburn, and Batesford (Source: Att 7.8.1 Tracks and Trails Strategy 2023-2033.pdf, p.28; Source: Att 7.8.2 Tracks and Trails Strategy - Detailed Action Plan.pdf, p.60). The action plan assigns this project a high priority, medium timeframe, high cost, and a multi-agency authority group including Golden Plains Shire Council, City of Ballarat, City of Greater Geelong, Moorabool Shire Council, DTP, VicRoads, VicTrack, and the community (Source: Att 7.8.2 Tracks and Trails Strategy - Detailed Action Plan.pdf, p.61). The mechanism is a business case and feasibility study rather than construction, meaning the Strategy’s current role is to keep the corridor concept alive and coordinated across jurisdictions rather than to commit delivery (Source: Att 7.8.2 Tracks and Trails Strategy - Detailed Action Plan.pdf, p.61).

Maintenance Is the Binding Constraint

The maintenance section is the clearest financial constraint in the Strategy because it provides indicative maintenance rates but states that implementation has not been funded (Source: Att 7.8.1 Tracks and Trails Strategy 2023-2033.pdf, pp.30-31). Surface maintenance estimates are 0.98/m² for asphalt, 1.33/m² for compacted rubble, 2.17/m² for compacted cement-treated rubble, and 0.50/m² for informal gravel trails (Source: Att 7.8.1 Tracks and Trails Strategy 2023-2033.pdf, p.30). The Strategy further estimates that broader maintenance items such as weed control, drainage, litter and debris removal, infrastructure repair, signage, and vegetation management require approximately 1 to 2/m² across all surface types (Source: Att 7.8.1 Tracks and Trails Strategy 2023-2033.pdf, p.30).

This creates a simple cause-and-effect chain: every kilometre of new trail creates a recurring inspection, vegetation, drainage, signage, surface, and risk-management task; if the capital grant funds construction but not recurrent maintenance, Council’s asset-management burden increases after opening (Source: Att 7.8.1 Tracks and Trails Strategy 2023-2033.pdf, pp.30-31). The Strategy partly responds by recommending scheduled inspections, signage checks, erosion-device checks, vegetation clearance, pruning, structure checks, annual hazard inspection reports, and brochure updates (Source: Att 7.8.1 Tracks and Trails Strategy 2023-2033.pdf, p.30).

Volunteer stewardship is recognised as a support mechanism, but the Strategy cautions that volunteer capacity varies and that volunteer burnout needs to be avoided (Source: Att 7.8.1 Tracks and Trails Strategy 2023-2033.pdf, p.30). This means volunteerism can supplement maintenance and stewardship, but it cannot substitute for Council’s asset-risk and budget responsibilities across a 265 km existing network and 211 km proposed program (Source: Att 7.8.1 Tracks and Trails Strategy 2023-2033.pdf, pp.30-31).

Information, Signage, and Promotion Are Safety Controls

Goal D treats information and marketing as a network-wide safety and access issue, not only a visitor-promotion issue (Source: Att 7.8.1 Tracks and Trails Strategy 2023-2033.pdf, p.29). The detailed plan states that trail signage was identified as a key issue through community consultation and on-ground site visits, and it references Australian Standard AS2156.1, Australian Mountain Bike Management Guidelines, and the Horse Trail Difficulty Rating System as guidance for trail classification and signage (Source: Att 7.8.2 Tracks and Trails Strategy - Detailed Action Plan.pdf, p.64).

The planning mechanism is straightforward: trailhead signage, waymarking, maps, website information, third-party platform updates, and difficulty classifications reduce ambiguity about permitted users, trail conditions, navigation, and expected behaviour (Source: Att 7.8.1 Tracks and Trails Strategy 2023-2033.pdf, p.29; Source: Att 7.8.2 Tracks and Trails Strategy - Detailed Action Plan.pdf, pp.64-66). This matters because the same network is intended to serve walkers, runners, cyclists, mountain-bike riders, horse riders, families, adaptive users, visitors, and local commuters, which increases the importance of clear user rules and consistent trail classification (Source: Att 7.8.2 Tracks and Trails Strategy - Detailed Action Plan.pdf, pp.8, 64).

Cross-Jurisdictional Trail Planning

The Strategy has several cross-boundary dependencies because Golden Plains sits between Geelong and Ballarat and several proposed routes connect into external trail, bicycle, rail, or open-space systems (Source: Att 7.8.1 Tracks and Trails Strategy 2023-2033.pdf, pp.8, 18, 21-22). The most important cross-jurisdictional projects are the Bannockburn and Inverleigh links to Geelong’s Principal Bicycle Network, the Ballarat to Skipton Rail Trail extension into central Ballarat, the Ballarat to Geelong rail trail, the Moorabool River connection toward Fyansford and Geelong, and a possible Goldfields Track extension into Golden Plains (Source: Att 7.8.1 Tracks and Trails Strategy 2023-2033.pdf, pp.21-28).

The Ballarat to Skipton Rail Trail extension is controlled outside Golden Plains because the detailed action plan says the City of Ballarat is working on an extension from Ring Road into Ballarat’s town centre along the rail line (Source: Att 7.8.2 Tracks and Trails Strategy - Detailed Action Plan.pdf, p.59). Golden Plains’ role is to support that extension and update mapping and online information once the external connection changes the practical reach of the existing rail trail (Source: Att 7.8.2 Tracks and Trails Strategy - Detailed Action Plan.pdf, p.59).

The Ballarat to Geelong rail trail has the highest coordination burden because its listed authorities include Golden Plains Shire Council, City of Ballarat, City of Greater Geelong, Moorabool Shire Council, DTP, VicRoads, VicTrack, and the community (Source: Att 7.8.2 Tracks and Trails Strategy - Detailed Action Plan.pdf, p.61). Its feasibility depends on a live rail corridor, state transport agencies, adjoining municipalities, and corridor safety, so it should be treated as a regional advocacy and business-case project rather than a local works item (Source: Att 7.8.2 Tracks and Trails Strategy - Detailed Action Plan.pdf, pp.60-61).

Current Status

The final Strategy and Detailed Action Plan are dated February 2024, while the draft Strategy and draft Detailed Action Plan are dated November 2023 (Source: Att 7.8.1 Tracks and Trails Strategy 2023-2033.pdf, p.3; Source: Att 7.8.2 Tracks and Trails Strategy - Detailed Action Plan.pdf, p.3; Source: Att 7.5 - GPS_Tracks and Trails Strategy_Draft Report_Summary_Nov23.pdf, p.3; Source: Att 7.5.2 - GPS_Tracks and Trails Strategy_Draft Detailed Action Plan_15112023.pdf, p.3). The final Strategy states that implementation has not been funded and will rely on Council budget cycles, external funding, and partnerships with land managers or other stakeholders (Source: Att 7.8.1 Tracks and Trails Strategy 2023-2033.pdf, p.31).

The Strategy requires ongoing monitoring by Council staff in collaboration with the proposed Trail Working Group, annual reports to Council, and a review and update by 2028, including an audit of each action’s status (Source: Att 7.8.1 Tracks and Trails Strategy 2023-2033.pdf, p.31). The next practical step is therefore not a single planning approval; it is resourcing the governance model, testing high-priority routes through feasibility work, and feeding feasible projects into budget, grant, design, and asset-management processes (Source: Att 7.8.2 Tracks and Trails Strategy - Detailed Action Plan.pdf, pp.6-9, 30-63).

Dependencies

  • Blocks: The Strategy does not legally block land use or development approvals, but it does create the preferred sequencing framework for future Council trail planning, feasibility studies, signage standards, maintenance priorities, and trail promotion (Source: Att 7.8.2 Tracks and Trails Strategy - Detailed Action Plan.pdf, pp.6-10, 64-70).
  • Blocked by: Implementation is blocked by unfunded capital and maintenance requirements, Council budget-cycle decisions, external grants, road-reserve feasibility, land-manager consent, VicRoads or DTP input, VicTrack feasibility for rail-corridor projects, and adjoining council coordination for regional links (Source: Att 7.8.1 Tracks and Trails Strategy 2023-2033.pdf, p.31; Source: Att 7.8.2 Tracks and Trails Strategy - Detailed Action Plan.pdf, pp.30-63).
  • Informed by: The Strategy was informed by background review, trends analysis, community consultation, stakeholder engagement, on-ground trail audit and mapping, and an Issues and Opportunities Paper (Source: Att 7.8.1 Tracks and Trails Strategy 2023-2033.pdf, pp.7, 16, 20-22).
  • Implements: The Strategy aligns with Council recreation, wellbeing, tourism, transport, open-space, structure planning, and active-living objectives identified in the background document list, including the Golden Plains Paths and Trails Strategy 2013-2017, Active Ageing and Inclusion Plan 2020-2024, Health and Wellbeing Action Plan 2021-2025, Bannockburn Growth Plan 2021, Inverleigh Structure Plan 2019, and Teesdale Structure Plan 2021 (Source: Att 7.8.1 Tracks and Trails Strategy 2023-2033.pdf, pp.9-10).
  • Conflicts with: The source documents do not identify a direct policy conflict, but they do identify implementation tensions around unfunded delivery, recurring maintenance, volunteer capacity, conservation values, road-reserve safety, and multi-agency feasibility (Source: Att 7.8.1 Tracks and Trails Strategy 2023-2033.pdf, pp.16-18, 30-31; Source: Att 7.8.2 Tracks and Trails Strategy - Detailed Action Plan.pdf, pp.6-9, 30-63).

The Strategy links Golden Plains to City of Ballarat through the Ballarat to Skipton Rail Trail, Yarrowee Creek Trail extension, and Ballarat to Geelong rail trail concepts (Source: Att 7.8.1 Tracks and Trails Strategy 2023-2033.pdf, pp.21-28; Source: Att 7.8.2 Tracks and Trails Strategy - Detailed Action Plan.pdf, pp.47-61). It links Golden Plains to City of Greater Geelong through the Bannockburn and Inverleigh Principal Bicycle Network connections, the Moorabool River trail concept, and the Ballarat to Geelong rail trail concept (Source: Att 7.8.1 Tracks and Trails Strategy 2023-2033.pdf, pp.21-28; Source: Att 7.8.2 Tracks and Trails Strategy - Detailed Action Plan.pdf, pp.32-40, 60-61). It links Golden Plains to Moorabool Shire through the Ballarat to Geelong rail trail authority group and regional corridor coordination (Source: Att 7.8.2 Tracks and Trails Strategy - Detailed Action Plan.pdf, p.61).

State agency dependencies include VicRoads for multiple road-reserve trail feasibility studies, DTP for regional transport-interface projects, VicTrack for live rail-corridor feasibility, Parks Victoria and DEECA for cross-tenure land management, and Traditional Owners for engagement and naming where supported (Source: Att 7.8.2 Tracks and Trails Strategy - Detailed Action Plan.pdf, pp.7-9, 30-63).

Gaps in This Analysis

The source set does not include the full Issues and Opportunities Paper, even though the final Strategy says full community consultation findings are included there (Source: Att 7.8.1 Tracks and Trails Strategy 2023-2033.pdf, p.16). This limits analysis of submission geography, stakeholder positions, route-specific objections, landowner concerns, and how the 197 survey responses were distributed across townships and user groups (Source: Att 7.8.1 Tracks and Trails Strategy 2023-2033.pdf, pp.16-18).

The source set does not include detailed trail audit sheets, GIS layers, asset-condition ratings, route alignments, land tenure mapping, road-safety assessments, biodiversity constraints, cultural heritage assessments, or cost plans for each proposed route (Source: Att 7.8.1 Tracks and Trails Strategy 2023-2033.pdf, pp.20-22; Source: Att 7.8.2 Tracks and Trails Strategy - Detailed Action Plan.pdf, pp.30-63). This means the analysis can identify priorities, dependencies, and likely mechanisms, but it cannot quantify land take, construction cost, maintenance cost by route, approval risk, or delivery staging beyond the Strategy’s low-medium-high cost categories and short-medium-long timeframes (Source: Att 7.8.1 Tracks and Trails Strategy 2023-2033.pdf, pp.24-31).

The source set does not include Council budget papers or subsequent annual action-status reports, so this page cannot verify which February 2024 actions have since been funded, commenced, completed, deferred, or reprioritised (Source: Att 7.8.1 Tracks and Trails Strategy 2023-2033.pdf, p.31). The most important gap to log in _gaps is therefore: “Tracks and Trails Strategy 2023-2033 implementation status, budget allocations, GIS route layers, detailed trail audit outputs, and Issues and Opportunities Paper.”

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