Inland Rail: major construction works now underway in Victoria

Inland-Rail

ARTC, Inland Rail, mcconnell dowell, Victoria,

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ARTC’s Inland Rail project begins major construction works in Victoria, meaning construction is now underway in two of three states.

A contract to the value of approximately $200 million, Tranche 1, has been awarded to McConnell Dowell and includes four rail enhancement sites located in central and northern Victoria as well as corridor-wide signaling and track slew works. The project is due for completion in early 2025.

The Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) marked the occasion with a community event in Glenrowan, welcoming construction in Victoria after a thorough planning, engagement, and design process.

Connecting Melbourne and Brisbane via regional Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland, Inland Rail is Australia’s largest freight rail infrastructure project and will better connect businesses, manufacturers and producers to national and global markets and create new opportunities for Australian industries and regional communities.

Victoria is expected to benefit significantly from Inland Rail, with freight efficiencies and investment opportunities expected to boost the state’s potential output by $6 billion over the first 50 years of operation.

Businesses in Victoria are already benefiting from Inland Rail. As of December 2022, 58 contracts at a value of $269.1 million had been committed to Victorian businesses for services and supplies on the Victorian section of the project.

Inland Rail follows along the existing North East Rail Line that was upgraded in 2021. To enable double stacked trains, ARTC must upgrade existing infrastructure at 12 sites:

  • Broadford-Wandong Road bridge, Wandong 
  • Hamilton Street bridge, Broadford 
  • Short Street bridge, Broadford
  • Marchbanks Road bridge, Broadford
  • Hume Highway bridge, Tallarook
  • Seymour-Avenel Road bridge, Seymour
  • Hume Highway bridge, Seymour 
  • Anderson Street bridge, Euroa 
  • Benalla Station Approach Road, Benalla
  • Beaconsfield Parade bridge, Glenrowan 
  • Wangaratta Station Precinct, Wangaratta 
  • Murray Valley Highway, Barnawartha North

McConnell Dowell, the appointed contractor on the first four projects at Seymour, Barnawartha North, Glenrowan and Wangaratta, has commenced preliminary site works and will move into major construction in the coming weeks. The remaining projects are currently in the reference design stage.

Inland Rail has already completed the Parkes to Narromine section in New South Wales, with major construction works underway on the Narrabri to North Star section.

“Inland Rail is a nation-building project, supporting jobs and economic opportunities in regional communities and improving Australia’s freight network,” says Inland Rail Interim Chief Executive Rebecca Pickering. 

“Over the next four years, Inland Rail is set to deliver vital local stimulus and support hundreds of Victorian jobs,” says Inland Rail Interim Chief Executive Rebecca Pickering. 

Construction activity will bring opportunities for businesses to participate in delivering the work, but there will also be a positive flow-on effect for motels, retailers, cafes and restaurants through to a range of service providers who will reap the project’s benefits.

“ARTC remains committed to meaningful and respectful consultation with the communities along the alignment as we continue through delivery activities for these sites,” says Inland Rail Interim Chief Executive Rebecca Pickering.

“We acknowledge the construction activity will disrupt local communities close to our projects, and we thank them for their patience and understanding as we deliver this important project,” says Inland Rail Interim Chief Executive Rebecca Pickering.

Click here to find out information on Inland Rail in Victoria.

Source: Australian Rail Track Corporation

Source: McConnell Dowell

Image source: Australian Rail Track Corporation

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