The Richmond Vale Rail line would form a large part of the path, complete with 100-year-old trestle bridges and tunnels once used to haul coal.

“This will be seen as an international tourist attraction one day,” Aberglasslyn man and proponent David Atkinson said.

The Newcastle Cycleways Movement and its Richmond Vale Bike Trail committee has gained the support of Cessnock, Newcastle and Lake Macquarie councils as well as National Parks and Wildlife.

Cessnock City Council had the project short listed on the Regional Development Fund, but had to withdraw its application because the project was not ready to proceed immediately.

The track would run from Kurri Kurri along the Spion Kopp line and join the Richmond Vale alignment at Mt Sugarloaf. 

It would follow the line past the trestle bridge and go through two tunnels under the M1 before reaching Hexham Swamp. 

There it would connect to the pipeline track, which Newcastle City Council has under construction, and finish at the University of Newcastle.

Mr Atkinson remained hopeful the project would win funding in the future and wants to maintain some hard-earned momentum.

“In the meantime we’re doing everything we can to make it ­happen,” he said.

“Part of that is publicity and making people aware of what we want to achieve.” 

The Richmond Vale Railway was built at the turn of the last century in race against South Maitland Railways to get coal to the Port of Newcastle.

“I would like to see Telarah linked to this to make Maitland a hub in the system and build upon our heritage credentials,” Mr Atkinson said.