Builder appointed to deliver Inland Rail Narromine to Gowrie sections

The development of Inland Rail across regional Australia is continuing to progress, creating significant opportunities for local businesses as well as supporting jobs and boosting the economy in addition to delivering a 1,700-kilometre rail link between Melbourne and Brisbane. 

In line with this progress, Martinus Rail has been appointed to deliver about 570-kilometres worth of track connecting Narromine in New South Wales and Gowrie in Queensland. 

Works under the Rail Corridor Program are valued at more than $300 million and are estimated to employ 600 people to lay 1.7 million tonnes of ballast and 80,000 tonnes of steel rail along with the installation of about 950,000 Australian-made concrete sleepers. 

“Inland Rail is delivering a more efficient national freight network that better connects our mining businesses and agricultural producers with domestic and international markets, while ensuring Australians can access the products they need at home. 

“Transporting our most valuable commodities, including iron ore, coal and agricultural products, through a connected network of rail, roads, air and sea is what drives Australia’s economy. 

“Our future economic prosperity hinges on our ability to continue exporting the products that fund the services Australians need and deserve and Inland Rail will facilitate this into the future,” Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Barnaby Joyce said. 

To date, over 400 Australian companies, including Martinus Rail, have already been contracted to deliver works on the Inland Rail project. 

“The design and construction of Inland Rail has already seen ARTC commit to contracts worth more than $2.2 billion. 

“This multi-billion-dollar investment is stimulating growth, supporting new jobs and providing opportunities for businesses of all sizes to grow and build capability,” Finance Minister Simon Birmingham said. 

The appointment of Martinus Rail will get the Australian-owned company to deliver the Narromine to Narrabri, Narrabri to North Star Phase 2, North Star to Border and Border to Gowrie sections of Inland Rail. 

“This contract will directly benefit communities from Narromine to the Queensland border, providing work for local people and businesses. 

“With the construction of Inland Rail, the Australian Government is bringing immediate opportunities to our regions, delivering multi-billion-dollar projects right here in our own backyard,” Federal Member for Parkes Mark Coulton said. 

Scope of works for the Narromine to Gowrie sections will include: 

• Delivering 306 kilometres of track between Narromine and Narrabri – Inland Rail’s longest section of track 
• Upgrading 13 kilometres of track crossing the Mehi-Gwydir floodplain and constructing 2 kilometres of new track at Camurra as part of Phase 2 of the Narrabri to North Star project 
• Building a 39-kilometre section between North Star and the Queensland Rail South Western System on the NSW/QLD border 
• Delivering 138 kilometres of new track as well as upgrading 69 kilometres of existing track from the border near Yelarbon to Gowrie Junction. 

“This will bring jobs, jobs and more jobs to our region. We need to be encouraging people now to consider the opportunities this project will bring. 

“I want to see the maximum possible benefit flow to communities along the alignment,” Federal Member for Groom Garth Hamilton said. 

Construction activities on the Rail Corridor Program is set to begin in 2022 once collaborative framework agreement and contract signing are completed. 

Works between Narromine and Gowrie are due to be completed ahead of Inland Rail operations in 2027. 

For opportunities to work on or supply for the Inland Rail project, you can visit the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) Opportunities web page here. 

Source: Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development; ARTC Inland Rail (1, 2); The Nationals for Regional NSW