Developed in 2016, the Murray to Mountains Rail Trail Enhancements Project, which includes the development and installation of public art, landscaping, improved amenity options and new commercial opportunities along the trail, looks to effectively establish the region’s rail trail network as an authentic, iconic tourism product, central to delivering strong outcomes for the local visitor economy including increased visitation and yield.
The M2M Rail Trail Enhancements Project will see the introduction of a series of world-class installations, experiences and infrastructure improvements designed to increase visitation by offering one of a kind, “must-see” moments that are engaging, shareable and repeatable.
Through a curatorial lens, the Trail will be transformed into a seamless journey that celebrates local stories and provides meaningful creative opportunities for Victorian artists and First Nations peoples to share their work on a world stage.
The project aims to:
- Make the Murray to Mountains Rail Trail the pre-eminent rail trail in the Southern Hemisphere.
- Drive repeat visitation and advocacy for the Murray to Mountains Rail Trail through enhancing the visitor experience.
- Inspire, delight, encourage talkability and social shareability to position the Murray to Mountains Trail as a ‘must do’ accessible cycling experience to domestic and international audiences.
New visitation from the initiative is expected to generate 17,500+ additional visitors and $12.3 Million in output per annum. The project is also expected to support the creation of 65 ongoing jobs.
In 2022, the Victorian State Government announced $8.5 million in funding to support the Murray to Mountains Rail Trail Enhancements project. To support the delivery of the project, Tourism North East is the lead agency, working closely with the Rural City of Wangaratta, Indigo and Alpine Shires.
For LGA-specific updates, please use the links below.
Project Update | November 2024
ARTIST PROFILES
We're pleased to introduce the artists officially selected for the Murray to Mountains Rail Trail Enhancements Project.
Beci Orpin | Oxley to Milawa – Rural City of Wangaratta
Multidisciplinary artist, designer and illustrator, Beci Orpin, has over 25 years experience evoking wonder and optimism through her practice. With an emphasis on colour and shape, her work bridges illustration, craft and design to create vibrant installations and graphics which often take the form of plants, animals and quirky characters.
Evoking the complex flavours of the region in unexpected, playful ways, Orpin's concept 'Palate Palette' is a true celebration of terroir – both the people and incredible tastes from the area.
Visit Orpin's website to learn more: beciorpin.com
Emily Floyd | Bowser to Tarrawingee – Rural City of Wangaratta
Naarm / Melbourne-based artist Emily Floyd works in sculpture and public installation. She explores the history of play, employing it as a frame for investigations into socially engaged design, ecology and the legacies of modernism.
Floyd's 'Magpie Alley' explores themes of ecology and kinship. The work will provide playful prompts that cyclists are entering Magpie Territory, creating a narrative connection between the revitalised spaces of the Bowser to Tarrawingee trail, stories magpie worlds and the biodiverse landscapes of the region.
Visit Floyd's website to learn more: annaschwartzgallery.com/artist/emily-floyd
Ben Gilbert of Agency of Sculpture | Beechworth Railway Precinct – Indigo Shire Council
Yackandandah-based Ben Gilbert's exciting project will see innovative nature play, art installations and landscaping elements introduced to the Beechworth Railway Precinct. In addition, a new public toilet block and lighting solutions will improve safety, ambience and amenity.
Gilbert's project celebrates the energy of the region, and represents a creative expression of the abundance of prosperity, innovation and reinvention in Beechworth in the past, present and future.
Visit Gilbert's website to learn more: agencyofsculpture.com
Ronan Holdsworth | Rutherglen Silo Precinct – Indigo Shire Council
Wangaratta local Ronan Holdsworth has been selected to bring new life to the Rutherglen Silo Precinct with a series of large-scale murals under the creative theme of 'Deep Roots'.
'Deep Roots' celebrates the rich, complex flavours of Rutherglen's wine and produce, the power of handing down knowledge from generation to generation and a deep passion for creativity.
Visit Holdsworth's website to learn more: ronanholdsworthgallery.au
Skunk Control | Bright to Porepunkah – Alpine Shire Council
Melbourne-based Skunk Control create visually engaging works and immersive experiences that provide audiences with a sense of wonderment and opportunities to make discoveries. Drawing on technology; design and art and our training in engineering, science and education, their works are interactive and impactful.
Skunk Control's concept 'The Colour Bridge' involves stylised, colourful wildflower-like pieces that hug the path in a repeating pattern, evoking the changing seasons. The theme for this site is 'Ever New', which captures the restorative feeling of the Alpine Shire region, and celebrates the cyclical, seasonal rhythms that continuously renew people and landscapes.
Visit Skunk Control's website to learn more: skunkcontrol.com.au/about
Kent Morris | Eurobin Station – Alpine Shire Council
By reconstructing the environment through a First Nations lens, Kent Morris reveals the continuing presence and patterns of Aboriginal history, culture and knowledge in the contemporary Australian landscape. Morris manipulates structures and nature into new forms that reflect elements of Aboriginal tangible and intangible cultural heritage and reinforce cultural continuity since time immemorial.
The theme for the Eurobin Station site is 'True Horizons', which captures the sweeping mountain vistas of the area, and plays with the notions of scale and openness. Importantly, it encourages reflection on what tne horizon might look like today if First Nations people had not been denied their opportunity to thrive as they had done here for thousands of years.
Visit Morris' website to learn more: kentmorris.com.au
RUTHERGLEN SILO PRECINCT | COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITY - MEET THE ARTIST
To inform Ronan Holdworth’s work and artistic response, we are pleased to be hosting a ‘Meet the Artist’ session at James & Co. Wines on Wednesday 27th November 2024.
The event will include a meet and greet with the artist and a Q&A session.
Interested community members are encouraged to register to attend.
Please note that while this is a free event, it is ticketed, and participants will need to register in order to attend. Spaces are limited.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Where did the funding come from?
A. The Victorian State Government announced $8.5 million in funding for the Murray to Mountains Enhancement project in the 2022 State budget.
Q. Why is this money being spent on a rail trail, rather than on critical infrastructure or repairs?
A. Tourism is a critical industry across North East Victoria. Funds spent investing into tourism infrastructure supports a $2.3 Billion industry by providing better experiences for visitors, meaning more reasons to visit and stay longer.
Q. What will the actual outcomes of the project be?
A. New visitation from the initiative is expected to generate 17,500+ additional visitors and $12.3 Million in output per annum. The project is also expected to support the creation of 65 ongoing jobs. Physical outcomes include the development and installation of public art, landscaping, improved amenity options and new commercial opportunities along the trail, establishing the region’s rail trail network as an authentic, iconic tourism product, central to delivering strong outcomes for the local visitor economy including increased visitation and yield.
Q. When will it be completed?
A. The Murray to Mountains Rail Trail Enhancements will roll out in phases beginning in the second half of 2024 with anticipated completion by mid-2025.
Q. Where will the enhancements be exactly?
A. The Murray to Mountains Rail Trail Enhancements will be placed along the trail at sites in the Alpine Shire, Indigo Shire and the Rural City of Wangaratta. A full precinct map and details of each site will be released with Artist Briefs in early 2024.
Q. Who is responsible for the project?
A. The Murray to Mountains Rail Trail Enhancements managed by Tourism North East (TNE) in consultation with the Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Alpine Shire, Indigo Shire and the Rural City of Wangaratta. The project is curated by DAE Global, producers of White Night Melbourne, Bendigo, Ballarat and Geelong from 2017-2019.
Key dates
- Artists Expressions of Interest platform closes: 1 March 2024
- Creative briefs issued to selected artists: Mid-February 2024
- Art installation to commence: July 2024-onwards
* Subject to change.