Planning is critical when organising an event on the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail. This information aims to direct your attention to the important things you need to think about before you get started, especially in relation to the managers and leaseholders of the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail.
Will I require a permit?
All events except social events under 30 participants require a risk management plan and a permit from DTMR. If you don’t have a permit, it may invalidate any insurance you may have.
How do I find out if my event clashes with another event?
It’s great that so many people are organising events on the BVRT, but there ‘s a risk that there will be some clashes as the number of events increases.
All events that have been granted a permit are listed on the DTMR BVRT events page.
Some events may not yet be listed if the permit application is still being processed, so it’s worth checking your preferred date with DTMR/BVRT Team: bvrt@tmr.qld.gov.au
Can the trail be closed for your event?
The BVRT is always open to the public and is not available for exclusive use by any event organiser. In any case, it would be physically impossible to control all entrances. However, if your event is going to pose any risk to other trail users, it’s probably not suitable for the BVRT.
Trail Etiquette
Participants in your event should obey the BVRT Code of Conduct at all times, especially with regard to horse riders.
Is public liability insurance required?
Yes. You will be required to submit a valid Certificate of Currency when applying for an event permit.
Who do I need to contact if I want to use one of the parks or other facilities in any of the towns?
Although the Queensland Govt has overall ownership of and responsibility for the management of the rail trail, the sections through each of the towns are leased to the relevant local Councils.
From north to south
For use of Yarraman Station Park, you should make a written application to Toowoomba Regional Council and a $200 deposit will be required.
For use of facilities between Nukku and Moore, the Ambassadors for the BVRT should be consulted as ownership and leases can be complicated in Blackbutt, Linville and Moore.
For use of any of the Council parks and reserves in the Somerset towns between Fernvale and Linville, formal permission should be sought in writing from Somerset Regional Council. They will require sight of a certificate of public liability insurance. Allow plenty of time as the application must be approved at a Council meeting.
Transport
Transport is a major headache for BVRT event organisers. There is no public transport, so organising an event that requires transport is a bit of a challenge. Out There Cycling has three buses with bike trailers and can provide a limited shuttle service. For more heavy transport requirements, coaches can be hired from Coast and Country who have a depot in Toogoolawa,h and bike transport by truck is available from Velotrans who have the ability to safely transport bikes in larger quantities (bruce@velotrans.com.au/ 0407 664 397).
What else do I need to think about?
It’s not for us to offer advice about how you should organise the event itself, but we are committed to encouraging event organisers to offer their participants a quality experience on the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail. In our view the overall aim of any event should be to enable participants to enjoy the experience knowing they are in safe hands. A good risk management plan and reliable support arrangements are essential.
Paul Heymans
Brisbane Valley Rail Trail Users Association
Updated on 12/05/2024
