A Complete Guide to the Melbourne to Brisbane Inland Rail Project

What is the Melbourne to Brisbane Inland Rail?

The $10 billion Melbourne to Brisbane Inland Rail has been flagged as a once in a generation infrastructure project that will see a 1,700km freight rail line between Melbourne and Brisbane installed through regional Australia. This rail line will allow freight to be transported from the major cities in less than 24 hours, vastly increasing Australia's freight capacity.

What route will the Inland Rail take?

The Inland Rail's 1,700km route will link Melbourne to Brisbane via regional Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. 70% of the Inland Rail's route is made up of already existing rail corridors, though these corridors will be upgraded to handle the increased capacity. 500km of new rail will be built from Illabo to Stockinbingal, Narromine to Narrabi and North Star to the New South Wales/Queensland Border. The majority of the Queensland rail line will also be constructed.

What towns will the Inland Rail pass through

• Melbourne, Victoria
• Tottenham, Victoria
• Seymour, Victoria
• Albury, New South Wales
• Wagga Wagga, New South Wales
• Junee, New South Wales
• Illabo, New South Wales
• Stockinbingal, New South Wales
• Parkes, New South Wales
• Narromine, New South Wales
• Gwabegar, New South Wales
• Narrabri, New South Wales
• Moree, New South Wales
• North Star, New South Wales
• Yelarbon, Queensland
• Inglewood, Queensland
• Gowrie, Queensland
• Toowoomba, Queensland
• Grandchester, Queensland
• Calvert, Queensland
• Bromelton, Queensland
• Kagaru, Queensland
• Brisbane, Queensland

How has the Inland Rail been funded?

In the 2017 Federal Budget, the Federal Government committed $8.4 billion to build the Inland Rail. In total, the Federal Government has now committed $9.3 billion to the project. Any further required funds are expected to come from a partnership with the Private Sector

How will the Inland Rail be delivered?

The Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) are responsible for delivering the Inland Rail project. They have divided the route into 13 individual projects across Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. Contracts have been awarded for these sections and construction began this year. It is expected the project will be fully delivered by 2024/25.

What are the benefits of the Inland Rail?

The long term benefits of the Melbourne to Brisbane Inland Rail are related to the efficiency and capacity of Australia's freight infrastructure. It is expected that the Inland Rail will result in a $16 billion boost to Australia's GDP over the next 50 years. Furthermore, during construction the Inland Rail is expected to create 10,000 jobs in regional and metro Australia.

Read all the major news updates about the Melbourne to Brisbane Inland Rail below.