Horse riding on the Rail Trail

Tweed section

Horses are allowed in this area as part of a special permit-only trial. Specifically, there’s a 2.2 kilometre designated horse-riding zone, located north of Burringbar and heading towards Upper Burringbar. More details on obtaining a permit are below.

This 2.2 km section features a mix of terrain, with half of it compacted gravel and the other half sealed asphalt. You’ll find signs along the rail trail that clearly mark the start and end of this horse-riding zone. Please exercise caution and give way to horses if you’re a bike rider. Both horse riders and bike riders must give way to pedestrians, ensuring a pleasant experience for everyone.

The Rail Trail is a Road Related Area under the Roads Act and all the same rules apply as they would on a public road.

Any commercial horse-riding tours or activities (where a business or organisation charges money or obtains another benefit from supplying goods and services) or organised events on the Rail Trail require separate additional approval. See our Connect Program for more information.

Richmond Valley and Lismore sections

Great news for horse riders! While the Tweed section has some constraints and risks that prevent horses on the entirety of the Rail Trail, the Richmond Valley section (12 kms) and Lismore section (16 kms) are both horse friendly. This is a fantastic outcome with the Northern Rivers Rail Trail set to open an additional 28 km’s that caters for horses and their riders. Richmond Valley is due to open in January 2024. Stay up to date with further Rail Trail progress and development here.

Horse riding permit

Tweed Shire Council is responsible for the operation and safety of all users on the Tweed section of the Rail Trail, including horses and their riders. The Northern Rivers Rail Trail is a shared-use recreational trail that is available for the public to use and a permit does not guarantee exclusive use.

To ride a horse in the designated horse-riding trial area you must first obtain a horse-riding permit from Council. During the trial phase, the requirement for a horse permit helps us to gauge interest and usage amongst the equine community, understand types, sizes and number of horses using the trail, assist with compliance, insurance and contact information should there be any incidents of concern during this time.

Once the application is received and assessed Council will issue a permit for the horse and rider until the trial period concludes in March 2024. Please note Council can revoke a permit at anytime and will do so in writing.

Expand the box below to apply for a permit online.

Permit application and guidelines

Application for a permit to ride a horse on the Rail Trail

Permits will be provided for the 12-month trial period until 31 March 2024 and can be revoked by Council in writing at any time.

1. Applicant’s details (horse rider)

First name

Last name

Include other people in same household who may ride the horse

Extra riders

Email address

Phone number

Address

Suburb

State

Postcode

2. Horse’s details

Name of horse

Age of horse

Size of horse (in hands)

Description of horse

Name of horse owner (if different to applicant name)

Upload a photo of the horse (optional)

Choose File

3. Terms and conditions

Before you can submit your permit application, please read the following terms and conditions before checking each box to state your acknowledgement and agreement.

I declare that the information provided in this application to be true and correct.

At all times I will stay within the 2.2 km area designated for the horse trial area and will not take my horse on any other parts of the rail trail and specifically not inside the Burringbar Range Tunnel.

I have read, understood and will abide by the Rail Trail safety tips and rules and guidelines for riding a horse on the trail (see below this form).

I will complete a Rail Trail incident form within 12 hours should myself or my horse be involved in an incident on the rail trail.

I will collect/remove my horse's manure (or use a manure bag) from the rail trail so that it doesn’t pose a risk or provide a poor experience for other trail users.

I will carry a copy of my Northern Rivers Rail Trail horse-riding permit (either electronic or hardcopy is fine) should I be requested to produce my permit while I am on the rail trail.

4. Privacy and protection of personal information

We are collecting this information to help process your Northern Rivers Rail Trail horse riding permit.
The information will be available to Tweed Shire Council staff, and any approved contractors or agencies required to administer the permit.
Information provided is voluntary. Without this information, we will not be able to provide you with a permit.
Tweed Shire Council is collecting this information and will store it securely. Stored information is located at Civic Centre, Murwillumbah NSW 2484 and Amazon's AWS cloud services in Sydney, Australia.
Call us on 02 6673 0404 or email tweed@northernriversrailtrail.com.au to access or correct your personal information.

I consent to have Tweed Shire Council store my submitted information so they can administer my permit application.

Guidelines for horse riding on the Rail Trail

Any incident or accident that occurs on the rail trail must be reported using the incident report form within 12 hours or as soon as possible after the incident.

Permit holders agree that, should an incident occur while they are riding on the trail, they will report the incident using the online form.

Horse-riders on the rail trail agree to always undertake safe horse riding which means:

Keeping your horse under control and maintaining a secure seat at all times.
Only ride on the rail trail if you are an experienced rider with a socialised horse.
Avoid riding alone.
Placing the most experienced riders at the front and tail of a group.
Ensuring that less experienced riders are mounted on experienced and trusted horses to improve safety for horses and riders.
Riding at the pace of the least experienced rider.
Riding within your own abilities and your horse’s capabilities.
You may encounter people who are unfamiliar with horses and who may be intimidated by them. Ride in single file at a walk past other rail trail visitors.
Ensure your horse is familiar with and accepting of the type of hazards they may encounter on the rail trail. This includes dogs, cyclists, bike and e-bike riders.
Give way to pedestrians at all times.
Leave no trace. This means you must either collect/use a manure bag or remove any horse manure from the rail trail so that it doesn’t pose a risk or provide a poor experience for other trail users.
Be aware that bikes may approach rapidly and unannounced and can frighten less experienced horses and riders.
If you are leading a horse-riding group ensure that all riders are suitably mounted. If riding in a group, never ride off before all riders in the group are mounted and ready. Ride abreast or stay a full horse length behind the horse in front to avoid you or your horse being kicked.
Never rush past riders who are proceeding at a slower gait, as this can startle both horse and rider and is often the cause of accidents. Instead, approach slowly and proceed past cautiously.
Always wear protective head gear.
Appropriate footwear should be sturdy and have soles that will slide easily from the stirrups but with enough heel to keep your foot from slipping through the stirrup. Sand shoes and thongs belong on the beach, not near horses.

Acknowledgement of the equestrian community

While we appreciate the horse trial area is not ideal for the equestrian community, it is the best option we can accommodate in the early days of the rail trail operations.

Council acknowledges the strong equestrian sector in our region and its contribution to the economy and the way it supports and grows the associated allied services allied industries in equine therapy, veterinary, dentistry, chiropractic, massage and other support services, which all provide an essential service across the region.

It also enables more broadly nature-based lifestyles and a healthier community, as well extending to, through organisations such as the Riding for the Disabled Association of Australian, important socially beneficial support services for many individuals and families.

Frequently asked questions

Why are horses not allowed on all areas of the Rail Trail?

The decision to only allow horses on a 2.2 km trial area of the Tweed section of the rail trail was well-considered and factors in Council’s responsibility to:

provide access and inclusion for all
deliver and operate a safe rail trail
be environmentally and fiscally responsible for the ongoing management in these very early stages of the rail trail.

This has been considered against Council’s priorities to:

make the trail accessible and inclusive for all people and abilities and meet our obligations under the Disability Inclusion Act 2014
manage the overall risks of operating a rail trail and shared user path where less compatible user groups interact with the complexity of it occurring in an un-tested environment that may also be remote and isolated
maximise user safety for all, including that of horses and their riders
work within construction project funding and timelines, and physical design constraints including a limit on trail width (upwards of 3 m wide), highly vegetated environment, 26 bridges and 2 tunnels, one of them being over 500 m long and very dark
minimise avoidable trail degradation and maintenance costs in the early stages of the trail operations.

Operational decisions for the rail trail are made to achieve the greatest good for the greatest number of people and it is reasonable for the community to understand that not every demand, expectation or desire can be attained, at least not in the first phase of the rail trail’s development.

What happens at the end of the trial period?

Throughout the 12 month trial period, Council will monitor the permits and use of the trial area and continue to review and be supportive of exploring designated equestrian trail (bridleway) off to the side in areas where this may be feasible. Towards the end of the trial timeframe Council will determine the next steps.

It is a new rail trail and a new experience for Council, and we are committed to securing the funding needed to further our investigation and construction of a separate bridle path into the future.

How is Council exploring options for horse trails / use?

Council continues to advocate for and shares the vision for more connected horse trails throughout our region and Tweed’s rural villages to support the equestrian community. This requires collaboration with other recreational trail managers to expand wider access to horse riding trails in nearby National Parks or Public Reserves or Crown Land.

Council would support and be willing to contribute to an equestrian trail strategic plan for the Northern Rivers region to best connect the public assets and link other trails.