RECREATIONAL TRAILS
BRINGING YOUR TRAILS TO LIFE

RECREATIONAL TRAILS

We understand that trails are more than just paths—they are essential experiences that connect people to nature, culture, and community. Whether you’re developing a mountain bike network, a multi-day walking track, or a regional cycleway, our expert team is here to guide you through every stage of your trail journey.

As trail-based activities continue to grow in popularity, destinations are increasingly recognising the importance of strategic trail planning and management. TRC Tourism offers a holistic approach to recreational trail development that goes beyond just the trail design. We ensure your trails are integrated into the broader vision of your destination—maximising economic, environmental, cultural and social benefits while enhancing the visitor experience.

Our Approach

Creating successful trails takes careful planning and a deep understanding of the needs of both visitors and local communities. From initial scoping to long-term management, we provide the expertise and insights needed to ensure your trails not only meet market demand but also contribute to the sustainable growth of your destination.
We believe that well-planned trails are key to boosting local economies, creating jobs, and fostering community pride. Our approach incorporates best practice in sustainability, stakeholder engagement, and governance, ensuring that your trails thrive long after they are built.

What We Offer

No matter where you are on your trail development journey—whether you’re just starting or looking to refine an existing experience—TRC is ready to help bring your vision to life.

Comprehensive Audits: We conduct thorough assessments of your existing trail network, including visitor needs and demand analysis, to identify opportunities for improvement.


Visitor Experience Mapping: We evaluate current trail experiences and highlight areas where you can enhance accessibility, sustainability, interpretation and enjoyment for a wide range of users.

Economic Assessments: We help you assess the feasibility and build a solid business case for new trail projects, providing detailed economic analyses that demonstrate the value of trail development to potential funders.


Strategic Investment Guidance: From capital investment to ongoing maintenance, we provide advice on securing funding and creating sustainable, long-term financial models.

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Destination Integration: We develop comprehensive, region-wide strategic plans that integrate your trail network with broader destination goals. This includes access to other tourism products and infrastructure to ensure your trails form part of a seamless visitor experience.


Master Planning: Our team leads the process of creating detailed master plans for your trails, considering everything from site-specific features to regional connectivity and future growth opportunities.

Building Partnerships: Successful trail projects require collaboration. We facilitate stakeholder engagement, bringing together local communities, indigenous/First Nations people, tourism operators, government agencies, and other key partners to ensure your project’s success.


Consumer Testing: We actively involve potential trail users through feedback and testing phases to ensure your trails meet the needs and expectations of the market.

Governance Models: We provide expert advice on trail governance and management structures, helping you create a model that ensures sustainability and effective long-term stewardship of your trail network.


Sustainable Maintenance: Our team helps develop strategies plans for maintaining and upgrading trails, ensuring they stay relevant, safe, and enjoyable for locals and visitors year after year.

Crafting visitor interpretation strategies that capture the core stories of the Protected Area—its landscapes, unique flora and fauna, cultural heritage, and the importance of conservation. We determine the most effective methods for sharing these stories through signs, digital media, visitor centres, and live experiences. 

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Setting Your Trails Up for Success

Whether you’re looking to create a new trail or enhance an existing network, TRC Tourism offers the expertise, insights, and strategic direction needed to make your vision a reality. Our team is here to guide you every step of the way—from scoping and planning through to implementation and ongoing management.
Ready to get your trails on the right track? Contact us today to learn how we can help you build exceptional, sustainable recreational trails that will benefit your community, attract visitors, and elevate your destination.

PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS

TESTIMONIALS

Gippsland Destination Management Plan

Janet and the TRC team did a great job with the Gippsland Destination Management Plan and I would recommend them to any regional tourism organisation.

Terry Robinson | CEO | Destination Gippsland

Kokoda Track Maintenance Program and Operations Manual 

The TRC team mobilised rapidly to PNG to assess and repair Kokoda Track bridges severely damaged in the very heavy wet season of last year being choppered into the remote rugged terrain of the Track. Working in very well with The Kokoda Track Authority Rangers, Kokoda Initiative and local communities their efforts and skill contributed greatly to the Kokoda Track being ready for the 2019 trekking season. Remote communities also benefited from being reconnected across the often treacherous river crossings. TRC also helped build the capacities of The Kokoda Track Authority Rangers and local communities to explore ways for future sustainable bridge building and general track maintenance works. The resultant Track Operations Manual produced by TRC is expected to be a valuable guide for future Kokoda Track works.

Damien Mate | Senior Program Manager | Kokoda Initiative Partnership

Queenstown Trails for the future 2015-2025

From the outset the TRC team were responsive, intelligent, forward thinking and always available. The Queenstown Trails Trust worked with the TRC team in 2015 to craft a 10 Year Strategic Plan. The nature of our business involves very important stakeholders, great vision and many face to face meetings to form our plan. . The result of this partnership being a very robust and well thought out plan that we are proud to utilise to assist us in setting the future path of the Queenstown Trails Trust. Interestingly – TRC also formulated the original Trails Trust plan way back in 2004 – it was great to have the opportunity of working with TRC again as they truly understand our business.

Mandy Kennedy | CEO | Queenstown Trails Trust (New Zealand)

Brook Waimarama Sanctuary Visitor Experience Strategy

TRC delivered a quality Visitor Experience Strategy for our organisation in a short timeframe. They took a practical approach that included gaining insight from the project’s key stakeholders and tied together the various elements of the project’s vision into a cohesive, actionable strategy.

Hudson Dodd | General Manager | Brook Waimarama Sanctuary Trust

Baw Baw Destination Action Plan, Marketing Plan & Recreational Vehicle and Tourism Signage Plan

TRC’s expertise in developing successful strategies regarding visitor economies and regional tourism proved extremely helpful to Baw Baw Shire Council when it sought guidance in enhancing its own Tourism Marketing Strategy, as well as in creating detailed action plans for three hero destinations across the Shire.

Mark Kestigian | Executive Manager Communications & Economic Development | Baw Baw Shire Council

Destination Management Plan for Destination Southern NSW

TRC prepared and finalised our Regional Destination Management Plan on time and on budget. TRC provided great professional advice throughout the project – they also took on board the view and guidance we gave. From the outset we wanted a strong partnership with our contractor and that is exactly what we got from TRC – beginning to end.

General Manager | Destination Southern NSW

Wellington Regional Trails Framework

In 2017 TRC worked with land managers and stakeholders from around the Wellington Region to develop the Wellington Regional Trails Framework. TRC’s destination management expertise, experience and professional approach was critical to the success of this ambitious project, that has seen 11 different agencies align their approaches and come together to move Wellington from an ‘under the radar’ network of tracks to a world class trails destination for residents and visitors alike.

Sarah Murray | Community Partnerships Manager | Parks, Sport and Recreation | Wellington City Council

Concept Plan for Adventure Cycling in the Tjoritja/West MacDonnell National Park

TRC Tourism’s Concept Plan for Adventure Cycling in the Tjoritja/West MacDonnell National Park exceeded expectations. The case it presents for a new, nationally significant tourism product is so compelling it has attracted immediate government investment and presents exciting opportunities for private investors and Aboriginal Traditional Owners.

Mac Moyses | Director Planning | NT Parks and Wildlife Commission

Hamilton and Waikato Tourism Opportunities Plan

During 2016, the TRC team worked with Hamilton & Waikato Tourism and regional stakeholders to develop a comprehensive Tourism Opportunities Plan to identify opportunities for new and improved visitor experiences that had the greatest potential to drive growth. The TRC team brought significant experience in destination management and planning and a fresh perspective to the project. They were excellent to work with, engaged effectively with stakeholders and applied critical insights and analysis to complex issues.

Kiri Goulter

Tourism Infrastructure Audit for Northern Tasmania

Tourism Northern Tasmania set out to define the private and public sector investment needed to sustain intelligent growth in the visitor economy for the region. TRC and their associates provided the well-rounded analysis, consultation and reporting that resulted in a clear vision of what to develop, where across Northern Tasmania. Less than six months from endorsing the final work and we are already seeing significant progress on three key infrastructure projects as well as active interest from private sector investors to take on opportunities profiled in work.

Chris Griffin | CEO | Tourism Northern Tasmania

Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary Concept and Interpretation Plan

I really appreciated the TRC Team’s professional and honest opinions in the final report and the thorough and thoughtful approach with our stakeholders.

Jasmine Foxlee | Manager Community and Visitor Programs (Acting) | Parks and Conservation Service (PCS) | Environment and Planning Directorate

Coastal Pacific Trail Feasibility Assessment

With the November 2016 Kaikoura Earthquake, a potential opportunity was raised to develop a cycle trail from Picton to Kaikoura. TRC were engaged to perform an initial feasibility investigation. TRC were very professional and were able to provide independent guidance in their report on how governance structures should be set up should the project proceed, with likely jobs generated for the region. They delivered on time and to budget.

Richard Coningham | Manager Assets and Services | Marlborough District Council

Visitor Experience Strategy for Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve

In engaging TRC Tourism the ACT Parks & Conservation Service was seeking to develop a holistic Visitor Experience Strategy for Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve. As an iconic destination Tidbinbilla is ideally positioned to leverage from the emerging nature based tourism appetite for authentic experiences in a natural setting. Working with all stakeholders in a collaborative, intuitive manner TRC Tourism delivered a high quality outcome. A strategic blue print for the future.

Brett McNamara | Regional Manager | Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, Namadgi National Park

New Zealand National Wetlands Trust Feasibility Study

Being a nationally significant project that will rely on tourist visits for its long-term financial sustainability, it’s crucial we get the best advice from professionals in the industry. TRC was our first port of call for a reality check on the feasibility of our proposal.

Karen Denyer | Executive Officer | National Wetland Trust