The trail committee was told in June that the Department for Trade and Economic Development and the SA Tourism Commission had put together the funding package toward the completion of the northern extension of the trail.

The new section will run from Hubbe Road to Barinia Road and is expected to be finished by the end of this year.

“It all really began at the last community cabinet meeting (August 2006) when we were able to talk about the extension with the council and a number of members of government,” Riesling Trail Management Committee chairman Graham Mill said. “The view at the time was that there would not be enough State Government money around to achieve this, but then we got a grant to take the trail to Hubbe Road.”

Earlier this year the Mid North Regional Development Board picked up on the importance of developing the Riesling Trail as one of the key focuses of the region, contributing to the government’s recent funding decision.

“We will be looking at starting work in spring,” Mr Mill said.

When completed, the Riesling Trail will increase from 25km in length to 33km, with the possibility of including part of the Mawson Trail within the new extension.

The committee will seek further funding to furnish the new section of the trail with interpretive signage, shelters and water tanks, bringing it to the same high standard as the existing section.

Helping towards this goal has been a $5000 grant from the Northern and Yorke Natural Resources Management Board for the establishment and implementation of protocols to protect and foster areas of native vegetation and interpretative signage.

– A big week for Graham Mill was capped off when he received the Clare and Gilbert Valleys Council Courtesy Award at the Jim Barry Wines Clare Valley Regional Tourism Awards on Thursday night (see Page 34) and a Paul Harris Fellow at the Rotary Club of Clare handover luncheon on Sunday (see Page 10).