Railton

Railton is a small town of approximately 835 people situated in Kentish Council in the north-west coast of Tasmania. The town covers 4 square kilometres and has a density of 208 residents per square kilometre (compared to Hobart which covers an area of 1,695.5 square kilometres and has a density of 130 people per square kilometre). Railton is known as the Town of Topiary with more than 100 imaginative topiary characters found in the area. It is home to a Cement Australia plant. The town also has a post office, parks, playground, cafes, and pharmacy.

Population

835

In the spatial walkability assessment, Railton’s walkability was rated medium in comparison to the 92 towns in the study. The spatial maps showed that the Railton town centre is slightly more walkable in comparison to the town boundaries.
In the town wide audit, natural assets including Goliath Park and the nearby natural reserves (including Sykes Sanctuary, the Henry Somerset Orchid Reserve and the Caroline Creek Forest Reserve) were reported as important spaces for recreation.
Connectivity between footpaths, infrastructure and amenities was considered a high priority by the community members. In many locations, there are footpaths on one side of the road but at times these paths do not link up. The lack of connection between infrastructure to support pedestrians to move around the community was highlighted as an issue.
Poorly maintained or poor-quality footpaths was identified as an issue in some locations and the provision of general infrastructure could support walking around Railton.