On track for Australia’s fast freight network
Inland Rail involves upgrades or enhancement works to approximately 1,000km of existing track and construction of 600km of new track passing through regional Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.
Inland Rail Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC), is building Inland Rail on behalf of the Australian Government. As each section of Inland Rail is completed, it will be operated and managed by ARTC.
As Inland Rail is such a large project, construction has been divided into 12 sections.
- The sections of Inland Rail between Beveridge in Victoria and Parkes in New South Wales are prioritised for completion by 2027.
- Construction on the Stockinbingal to Parkes section in southern NSW has started. Work is well underway on the Beveridge to Albury section in Victoria
- The Parkes to Narromine (NSW) section and the Narrabri to North Star Phase 1 (NSW) section are complete. Freight trains are now running on these sections.
Snapshot
Construction commenced:
2018
Construction schedule:
Sections between Beveridge, Vic and Parkes, NSW have been prioritised for completion by 2027. Completion dates for sections north of Narromine are yet to be determined.
Under construction:
2 of 12 sections
Learn about how we’re building Inland Rail
Engineering excellence
Inland Rail’s sheer scale and complexity has attracted some of the world’s top rail engineering and infrastructure delivery experts.
Our team are delivering engineering solutions to cross the challenging Condamine and Macintyre floodplains, building the second-longest freight tunnel in the Southern Hemisphere, and constructing many viaducts; one of which is expected to be as tall as the shipping height of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Managing our vital water resources
As large areas of regional Australia continue to experience prolonged drought periods, its vital that we ensure our use of water is sustainable.
Water will be essential to the construction of Inland Rail. We need water for:
- compacting earthworks
- suppressing dust on haul roads and other unsealed surfaces
- producing concrete when building bridges and culverts
- managing weeds
- washing down vehicles and other machinery
- landscaping or remediation
- drinking, cooking, cleaning and washing in accommodation camps and site offices.
Our team has a Water Supply Strategy in place to identify potential water supply options while using innovative ways to reduce the amount of water we use. Our water strategy is based on three core priorities:
- securing water to construct the project on time
- saving water through innovation and careful management
- leaving water infrastructure legacies.
We are using the Infrastructure Sustainability Council rating scheme to hold ourselves accountable.
Our water conservation policy is to:
- avoid water consumption
- reduce water consumption by using water efficient equipment and processes
- re-use water without treatment where fit for purpose
- recycle/treat dirty and grey water where fit for purpose
- use potable water only where viable.
Project stages
Each of Inland Rail’s 12 projects has its own construction targets and timelines and will progress through our six project stages at its own pace.
Sustainability
We strive to deliver the best possible outcomes for our communities and the natural environment by focusing on social, environmental and economic sustainability.
Safety
Looking after the health and safety of everyone who works on, or is impacted by, Inland Rail is at the heart of everything we do.
