To build Inland Rail, we’ll be working on about 1,000km of existing track and about 600km of new track. This will include upgrading, replacing or building numerous bridges.
Most of the major demolition and new bridge construction work our contractors do has to be scheduled around rail line shutdowns (or possessions) when trains aren’t running.
Each year, we usually only get uninterrupted possession of the rail line for two weekends. That’s why our construction teams often work around-the-clock during possessions to crane bridge spans into place or demolish old bridges in a very short time.
Outside of possessions, there’s plenty of construction activity like drainage, utility relocations and earthworks.
In this video, Malcolm Clark, Inland Rail Project Director – Stockinbingal to Parkes/Albury to Illabo, explains what it takes to build a bridge for Inland Rail.
Inland Rail is a 1,600km freight rail line, now under construction. It will connect Melbourne and Brisbane via regional Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. The sections of Inland Rail between Beveridge in Victoria and Parkes in New South Wales are prioritised for completion in 2027. Inland Rail Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC), is building Inland Rail on behalf of the Australian Government.
