Illabo to Stockinbingal: Workers’ Accommodation Facility
Inland Rail’s contractor John Holland will establish a 350-person temporary workforce accommodation facility for the construction period, from 2025 to 2027.
June 23, 2025
The accommodation facility
Inland Rail’s contractor John Holland will establish a 350-person temporary workforce accommodation facility for the construction period, from 2025 to 2027.
The accommodation facility will include the following amenities:
- Rooms equipped with a desk and ensuite
- Administration office
- Kitchen and dining facilities
- Parking for cars, buses and trucks
- Recreation room and gymnasium
- Laundry facilities
- Landscaped areas
- Wet mess and convenience store.
Why the accommodation facility is needed
A temporary workforce accommodation facility is necessary to comply with the NSW Government Planning Minister’s Conditions of Approval, which require it to be designed with adequate capacity to accommodate the peak workforce. The facility must also be properly managed and staffed to reduce any social or amenity-related impacts, both within the facility and in the surrounding areas.
Additionally, Inland Rail aims to avoid placing strain on local housing availability. By accommodating specialist workers in a temporary facility, the project helps prevent increased pressure on local housing markets, including rising property prices, rental costs, and demand.
Location of the accommodation facility
The temporary accommodation facility will be located on Grogan Road, Stockinbingal approximately 2 kilometres north of the Stockinbingal township.
Key benefits of this location include:
- Minimised number of near neighbours impacted
- Good connectivity to the wider road network
- Existing connections to electricity and water networks
- Proximity to the core work areas
- Sufficient relatively level land with least environmental constraints.
What happens to the accommodation facility after the project is complete?
After the project is complete the facility will be removed by Inland Rail’s contractor John Holland and the land will be reinstated.
About the Illabo to Stockinbingal Project
This 39km section of Inland Rail creates a new direct route from east of Illabo tracking north to Stockinbingal in New South Wales.
The route will bypass the townships of Cootamundra and Bethungra and the winding, steep section of track known as the Bethungra Spiral on the Main South line— opening up a more efficient way to transport freight through the area.
