Inland Rail
Inland Rail is a 1,600km freight rail line that will connect Melbourne and Brisbane via regional Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.
The project is being constructed by the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) on behalf of the Australian Government. On 29 November 2019, the Australian and Queensland governments signed a Bilateral Agreement for Inland Rail which will enable the delivery of the project in Queensland.
Project information
Freight movement across Queensland is expected to double in the coming years, with the most rapid growth anticipated to be in South East Queensland.
Inland Rail will provide the potential for greater connectivity and increased rail freight volumes from southern and south-west Queensland, leveraging the benefits of the new Inland Rail infrastructure.
Inland Rail is a large and complex project. To better facilitate delivery, the program has been divided into 12 sub-projects, 4 of which are located in Queensland:
- New South Wales / Queensland Border to Gowrie
- Gowrie to Helidon
- Helidon to Calvert
- Calvert to Kagaru
In light of the recommendations of the 2023 Independent Review, the Australian Government has adopted a staged approach to deliver Inland Rail.
Construction of Inland Rail sections from Beveridge in Victoria, through to Parkes and Narromine in New South Wales has been prioritised for delivery by 2027.
Further delivery of Inland Rail north of Narromine will be considered by the Australian Government as primary approvals are gained and the costs of the program are certain.
To find out more about the proposed route and progress of each project visit the ARTC Inland Rail website.
The Department of Transport and Main Roads role
The Queensland Government through the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) is working collaboratively with the ARTC on environmental planning, the state's requirements including, the flood panel and future proofing the corridor for future upgrades, statutory approvals, maximising the benefits of Inland rail to Queensland businesses and communities, and land acquisition for the sections of Inland Rail in Queensland.
We are the acquiring authority for Queensland's section of Inland Rail and will manage the compulsory land acquisition process under the Queensland legislation set out in the Acquisition of Land Act 1967.
Compulsory land acquisition for the rail corridor in each section will not occur until the respective Environmental Impact Statement is final and until the Queensland Government is satisfied that genuine consultation with affected stakeholders has taken place.
The Australian and Queensland governments, through TMR established an Independent International Panel of Experts for Flood Studies (the Panel) to provide assurance to the public that the flood models and reference designs developed by ARTC meet national guidelines and industry best practice.
The Panel provided their Final report to the Australian and Queensland governments. This report presents the outcomes of the Panel's review of the flood models and reference designs developed by ARTC for the Queensland Border to Gowrie, Gowrie to Helidon, Helidon to Calvert and Calvert to Kagaru project sections.