📋 Tender Overview
ScopeThe circa 10 billion Inland Rail project would see the creation of a 1700 kilometre Melbourne to Brisbane freight rail line along Australias east-coast - bypassing the congested Sydney network and the circuitous north coast line via Australias four richest farming regions in Victoria New South Wales and Queensland.The Illabo to Stockinbingal I2S section is proposed to comprise 37 kilometres of new track and provide a new direct route from the line east of Illabo to the Forbes rail line near Stockinbingal. The planned alignment will also bypass the Bethungra Spiral and be 30 kilometres shorter than the existing route.I2S is in the project feasibility stage with environmental field studies underway. This stage is expected to run until mid-2019 with project approval scheduled for 2021. ARTC estimates procurement will begin in the second half of 2020. Construction is indicatively scheduled to occur between 2022 and 2023.WSP and Mott MacDonald were awarded the feasibility and design work contract in April 2018.ARTC lodged a State Significant Infrastructure SSI application for I2S with the NSW Government in June 2018. An Environmental Impact Statement is being developed and is expected to be put on public exhibition in early 2020.
