Part2: The Rail and the Lamb - Allan and Faye Simpson - Friends of Bombala Railway #137
The Rail Trail vs. The Railway: A False Choice
Part2: The Rail and the Lamb - Allan and Faye Simpson - Friends of Bombala Railway #137
The Rail Trail vs. The Railway: A False Choice
Last time, we told the story of a fight for history—a small group of volunteers, the Friends of Bombala Railway, who have spent over a decade preserving the tracks, the station, and the stories of the past. We heard from Alan and Faye Simpson, who built this railway precinct up from nothing, only to now face the grim reality that their work may be undone by bureaucrats a hundred kilometers away in Cooma.
We uncovered their struggles—years of effort ignored, council meetings where their voices were dismissed, and a bicycle trail proposal that could see Bombala’s railway torn from the ground, despite local opposition. But we also heard their vision. A future where the railway, a rail trail, and even pedal-powered carts could coexist—if only the council would listen
Today, we continue the conversation—but we go deeper. We examine council’s lack of transparency, the political maneuvering, and the environmental risks that have been pushed aside. We hear about the Gang of councillors and Labor ministers who refuse to listen, and the outright dismissal of Bombala’s railway volunteers.
This is a story of community. A story of power, of betrayal, and of people fighting to keep their history alive. Buckle in. This is Monaro Zone—The Rail and the Lamb - Part Two.
---- We began this story about a man who had nothing but a single lamb—raised with care, protected, nurtured—only for it to be taken by those with power, those who had more than enough but still wanted more. In Bombala, the railway is that lamb. Built up from neglect by volunteers, safeguarded by a community that asked for nothing in return, and now, set to be stripped away—not because it must be, but because those in control can.
A lifeline that was saved through sweat, through sacrifice, through an unshakable love for Bombala’s past and its future. The Friends of Bombala Railway fought not for profit, not for power, but to ensure that history would not be erased.
But as we have heard, in today’s Snowy Monaro, hard work means nothing without connections. The very people who have spent years preserving the railway, maintaining it without council funding, raising every dollar themselves—are now being cast aside. Not consulted. Not considered. Just swept away by those with power, those with influence, those with the right friends in the right places.
This isn’t about bicycles versus trains. It never was. The Friends of Bombala Railway volunteers offered to share—offered to maintain the trail alongside their own work, to make space for Cooma’s rail trail cyclists. But that was not enough. This was never about working together. This was about power. About control. About a Gang in Council, who rule with impunity, unchallenged, unchecked, unwilling to hear the voices of the very people they claim to represent.
Do not punish the poor for being poor. Do not erase the work of those who have given everything simply because they lack the connections to fight back.
This is not just about a railway. This is about who gets heard—and who gets railroaded.
Thank you again for joining us on Monaro Zone. This was Part Two of ‘The Rail and the Lamb.’
Stay safe, stand for truth, and never stop fighting for what’s right.
Share this article, spread the word, and demand change. The truth belongs to all of us, but only if we have the courage to claim it. Together, we can shine a light on the shadows of governance and bring accountability back from the brink. But remember... the next move isn’t up to them. It’s up to you. Because in the Snowy Monaro, transparency isn’t just a policy—it’s the difference between light and dark.