As a long serving GP in the Byron area, I have watched the population grow alongside crowding of the roads with trucks and cars. There are not many peaceful places left for people to walk or cycle. In our beautiful countryside we can only look at farms across barbed wire. Horse and dog owners have an even bigger problem, Yet there is an exciting solution on our doorstep.
'The long paddock' was the nickname given to the old stock routes and serves as a model for freedom of a good long walk in the country.
You don't need to be a doctor to appreciate the health benefits of walking to mind and body.
The opportunity of course, is the disused railway track which snakes for many miles through gorgeous county and unites several shires between Casino and Murwillumbah .
As a senior citizen, I appreciate and feel excited by the prospect of the level grading installed by the expertise of those long dead fettlers, needed to run the old trains.
I loved that train in its day and retain a memory of the window views of the diverse scenery, as yet unseen by the younger ones who came after the time of the train.
Of course there are problems, for example with the old bridges and the work involved, even to create sections for the disabled, other bits for horses. But its been done before.
lots of places in Australia and abroad have used this same bequest from an earlier era.
We can do it too, even better because we live in an area traditional for innovation and this would be some thing special for our many visitors.
Imagine. Hmm. There's a nice little kiosk at Billinudgel Station. Now get out of the house and walk to the cafe.
