Train trips up and down the Zig Zag railway will soon be back on the agenda as the historic tourist destination prepares to reopen.
Volunteers of the Zig Zag Railway Co-Op have spent the last decade restoring seven kilometres of track built into the side of the Blue Mountains overlooking picturesque scenery and refurbishing steam locomotives to their original glory after multiple floods and fires destroyed the railway and workshop.
The NSW Government has made the restoration of the popular tourist attraction possible with almost $5 million in funding allocated to the project. Now a further $141,988 has been added to complete some safety upgrades.
Deputy Premier, Member for Bathurst Paul Toole said the revitalisation of the Zig Zag Railway, the last of its kind in Australia, will keep attracting visitors to the Central West.
“Zig Zag is set to return as a local drawcard that will have people heading further over the mountains for an authentic steam era experience,” Mr Toole said.
“When visitors come to our regional towns to see the attractions on offer, they stay in local accommodation, buy souvenirs from local shops and dine in local eateries.
“From train and history buffs, to families with young children heading for a great day out, the Zig Zag Railway will once again be celebrated as a part of our heritage well into the future.”
Zig Zag is one of New South Whales greatest engineering feats, providing the first rail passage across the Blue Mountains and opening up regional NSW.
The redeveloped Zig Zag railway is expected to attract over 60,000 tourists to Lithgow each year. By helping restore this iconic railway, the NSW Liberals & Nationals Government is supporting jobs in Lithgow, boosting tourism across the Blue Mountains and strengthening the local economy.
Ahead of the reopening, Mr Toole has today announced $141,988 in funding from the Crown Reserve Improvement Program to fund the construction of safety fences and the repair of emergency access roads on the Zig Zag Railway Reserve, Clarence.
Mr Toole said “The Zig Zag Railway has been a highly popular tourist attraction for over 40 years and is a great example of NSW’s industrial heritage, so it is important to reopen with all safety measures in place and up to modern day standards.”
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