This 47km stretch of Inland Rail involves the construction of a new dual gauge rail line connecting Helidon (east of Toowoomba) with Calvert (west of Ipswich), in Queensland.
The project crosses the two local government areas of Lockyer Valley and Ipswich City, travelling through Placid Hills, Gatton, Forest Hill, Laidley and Grandchester. Work will include building an approximately 850m-long tunnel through the Little Liverpool Range near Laidley.
This project is currently in the reference design stage. During this time, we are conducting various studies and consulting with landowners and other key stakeholders to finalise plans for this project.
Draft EIS public display
The Helidon to Calvert project draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) public display commenced on Wednesday 31 March 2021 and concluded on Wednesday 23 June 2021.
For more information about the EIS process and next steps, visit the Queensland Coordinator-General’s website.
Snapshot
Type
New track
Length
47km
Anticipated works
Building new dual gauge track, including an 850m tunnel through steep terrain
Status
Project map
This section uses the existing rail corridor and the Department of Transport and Main Roads’ Gowrie to Grandchester protected rail corridor, with possible refinements being considered within a defined study area.
Interactive maps
We have developed interactive consultation and noise maps for the project.
Drop a pin on the consultation map to add your comment. Your feedback will help us get a better understanding of key issues from a community perspective.
The noise map shows the noise levels predicted from the railway operations in 2026.
Gowrie to Kagaru section fact sheet
Information on the Gowrie to Kagaru project, which encompasses three sections: Gowrie to Helidon, Helidon to Calvert and Calvert to Kagaru. The Gowrie to Kagaru section of Inland Rail is considered the most technically complex section of the Inland Rail program.
