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Inland Rail is enhancing Australia’s rail freight network
Inland Rail was conceived to help us keep pace with the increasing freight demands of Australia’s growing population. Shifting more goods onto Inland Rail means safer, less congested roads; fewer emissions; and a faster, more resilient freight network.
The vision for Inland Rail is to eventually transform 1,000km of existing railway track and build 600km of new track so that heavier trains carrying more freight can travel between Melbourne and Brisbane, via regional Australia.
Inland Rail is on track to deliver the sections between Beveridge in Victoria and Parkes in New South Wales by the end of 2027, allowing these heavier trains to access the existing rail network to destinations including Perth and Adelaide and the East Coast.
The Australian Government has confirmed it is working with Queensland and New South Wales Governments to preserve the rail corridor north of Parkes to allow for future project delivery.
Inland Rail Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of ARTC, is building Inland Rail on behalf of the Australian Government.
Inland Rail is progressively being delivered in sections to provide early access to increased rail freight capacity.
The sections between Beveridge in Victoria and Parkes in New South Wales are prioritised for completion by the end of 2027.
From 2027, increased rail freight capacity will be available between Beveridge and Parkes. This will also enable double-stacked trains to access existing ARTC freight network connections to Perth, Adelaide and the East Coast.
The prioritised sections are:
Beveridge to Albury
262km of existing track
Major construction on the four Tranche 1 sites of the Beveridge to Albury section in Victoria was completed in mid-2025. Tranche 2 construction at eight sites across Euroa, Benalla, Broadford, Wandong, Seymour and Tallarook started in mid-2025.
Albury to Illabo
185km of existing track
Major construction is underway in the Albury to Illabo section of Inland Rail in NSW. This work involves enhancements and modification works at 20 sites to allow for safe clearance of double-stacked freight trains.
Illabo to Stockinbingal
37km of new track and 2km of upgraded track
Major construction on the Illabo to Stockinbingal section in NSW started in mid-2026. This ‘greenfield’ (new) section of track will create a direct route from Illabo to Stockinbingal, bypassing the winding Bethungra Spiral.
Stockinbingal to Parkes
170km of existing track
Major construction on the Stockinbingal to Parkes section in NSW was completed in early 2026. Enhancement works at nine sites enables double-stacked trains, increasing freight capacity.
The sections of the Inland Rail route to be preserved for future optionality include:
Parkes to Narromine
98km of existing track and 5km of new track
The Parkes to Narromine section is complete, with freight trains running on the line. This was the first section of Inland Rail to be completed and was commissioned in late 2020.
Narromine to Narrabri
306km of new rail corridor and track
This is Inland Rail’s longest section. The 306km greenfield rail corridor will connect the completed and operational Parkes to Narromine section to the operational Narrabri to North Star section. This section has received NSW and Australian Government environmental approval. Progress is subject to future decisions by the Australian Government and activities required to preserve the current rail corridor.
Narrabri to North Star
184km of upgraded track and 2km of new track
In 2023, 163km of track in this section was upgraded and is now fully operational. The Narrabri to North Star Phase 2 segment has achieved NSW and Australian Government approval. Progress is subject to future decisions by the Australian Government and activities required to preserve the current rail corridor.
North Star to Qld/NSW Border
5km of new track and upgrading 25km of non-operational existing track
This section will establish an operational rail line from North Star to the NSW/Qld border, at the Macintyre River. This section has received NSW and Australian Government environmental approval. Progress is subject to future decisions by the Australian Government and activities required to preserve the current rail corridor.
NSW/Qld Border to Gowrie
149km new rail corridor and 68km of upgraded track
This section links the NSW-Queensland border to Gowrie Junction near Toowoomba. The first 7km in Qld will be standard gauge, and the rest will be dual gauge so both interstate standard‑gauge trains and Qld’s narrow‑gauge trains can use the line in Qld. Progress is subject to future decisions by the Australian Government and activities required to preserve the current rail corridor.
Gowrie to Helidon
28km of new dual gauge track
This section will traverse the steep terrain of the Toowoomba Range and include a 6.2km tunnel. Progress is subject to future decisions by the Australian Government and activities required to preserve the current rail corridor.
Helidon to Calvert
47km of new dual gauge track
This section connects Helidon (east of Toowoomba) with Calvert (west of Ipswich), in Queensland. Plans include an 850m tunnel through the Little Liverpool Laidley Range. Progress is subject to future decisions by the Australian Government and activities required to preserve the current rail corridor.
Calvert to Kagaru
53km of new dual gauge track within existing rail corridor
This section includes 39km of dual-gauge track allowing single-stacked operations between Kagaru and a proposed intermodal freight terminal at Ebenezer. It will connect Inland Rail with the existing Sydney to Brisbane Coastal Line and the Port of Brisbane. Progress is subject to future decisions by the Australian Government and activities required to preserve the current rail corridor.