The future of the prospective Daylesford to Hanging Rock Rail Trail is hanging in the balance due to funding uncertainty after the Coalition government won last week's federal election.
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In the lead up to the election, Ballarat MP Catherine King pledged $5 million towards the first stage of construction on the prospective rail trail project.
Ms King retained her seat with a margin twice the state average but her position in the opposition may mean it will be difficult to deliver on her promises.
The Liberal candidate for Ballarat, Timothy Vo, did not match the Rail Trail project promise or make any other commitments to the shire.
The rail trail - which would cost about $11.27 million to build - would involve the construction of a 44-kilometre bike trail along the former Carlsruhe to Daylesford railway - which operated from 1880 until 1978 - and from Daylesford, would pass through the towns of Musk, Bullarto, Lyonville, Trentham, Carlsruhe and Woodend.
Three connection spurs would take riders off the beaten track of the main trail to Hanging Rock, Kyneton and Trentham Falls.
The project has been in the works for many years, but lobbying for it ramped up in 2018 with both Hepburn and Macedon Ranges Shire councils lobbying for funding towards the project in the lead up to the state election.
Both councils made it a priority project.
In campaigning for the election, Liberal candidate Amanda Millar pledged $5 million towards the project.
It was not part of Labor's promises, but Macedon MP Mary-Anne Thomas said she had been working with the two councils on the project and would advocate for the federal government to deliver on the commitment on funding the project.
She said she would also continue to advocate for state funding.
"This is a project that has potential to grow visitation to our regions and improve the amenities for locals as well. I have in my previous term, briefed the Minister for Regional Development and look forward to briefing the new minister on the project."
Ms Thomas said she would be seeking funding from the federal Building Better Regions Fund and would be supporting Catherine King and Lisa Chesters in their bids.
She said no commitments had been made by the state government for the upcoming state budget, which will be released next week.
Chief Executive Officer of Hepburn Shire Council, Evan King, told The Courier last week that the council believed the project had a significant economic benefit for the region and would continue to lobby both the state and federal governments for funding.
He said the council was not in a position to deliver the project without government funding.
President of Daylesford Spa Country Railway, Stuart Smithwick, which maintains the whole corridor of railway from Daylesford to Bullarto, said the group supported the concept of the rail trail.