Goondiwindi and Inglewood businesses keen to hop on board with Inland Rail

The Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) wants to ensure local and regional suppliers can take advantage of opportunities presented by Inland Rail in the Queensland/NSW border area.

Aerial view of the Border Bridge over the Macintyre River and Goondiwindi town, Queensland.

Goondiwindi and Inglewood are located close to three Inland Rail projects (Narrabri to North Star, North Star to Border and Border to Gowrie) presenting fantastic opportunities for local and First Nations businesses and residents to get involved.

To showcase the opportunities on offer the Inland Rail Skills Academy and Industry Capability Network (ICN) Queensland are hosting free business capability workshops in Goondiwindi and Inglewood

  • Goondiwindi: September 13 between 9am and 12.30pm, with a second session on the same day for First Nations businesses between 1.30pm and 5pm at the Gateway to Training facility.
  • Inglewood: September 14 between 9am and 12.30pm at the Inglewood Civic Centre.

Participating businesses will be able to learn about the ICN Gateway – the supplier engagement portal used by Inland Rail and hundreds of major projects across the country.

The workshop will give businesses an understanding of the supplier registration process including how to communicate information about their business and submit a compliant Expression Of Interest on the ICN Gateway.

Attendees will also be provided with access to one-on-one support and practical tips from ICN Queensland and Inland Rail representatives at each event, which will help them make the most of the portal.

ARTC Inland Rail Supply Chain Manager Jason Manttan said:

“Inland Rail is about delivering real and lasting opportunities for regional communities.

“While we’re expecting to generate direct and indirect supply and job opportunities during construction, we’re also working to prepare communities for other project opportunities by helping to upskill local and First Nations businesses.

“Our business capability building workshops are just part of Inland Rail’s commitment to communities where Australia’s largest freight project is being built and operated.

“Local and First Nations businesses are crucial to the work we do and to their communities. Supporting them to build their capability will not only help them embark on new endeavours, but it will help drive positive change and boost employment along the alignment.

“With Inland Rail already delivering business uplift and jobs confidence in communities along the rail corridor, business capability building workshops such as these will help ensure Inland Rail’s positive impacts go beyond the construction period for the project.

Additional sessions will be held as follows:

  • October 4 between 1.30pm and 5pm at the Pittsworth Function Centre,
  • October 5 between 9am and 12.30pm at Picnic Point Conference Centre, Toowoomba, and
  • October 5 between 1.30pm and 5pm at Picnic Point Conference Centre, Toowoomba.

More information is available on the ARTC website.