Inland Rail Interim Chief Executive Officer Rebecca Pickering has told AusRAIL 2022 delegates that the company is looking forward to carrying on its strong momentum on delivering Inland Rail in 2023, with major construction work starting in Victoria in the new year.
Hot on the heels of Inland Rail opening the Narrabri to North Star (N2NS) section in New South Wales earlier this month, and with the remaining Phase 1 works on N2NS due for completion early next year, she said the ball was well and truly moving on delivering the project.
In addition to the NSW milestones being delivered, early works have begun on worksites at Glenrowan and Wangaratta in Victoria where major construction works are expected early in 2023.
“Inland Rail is being built to create a new freight future for Australia and construction is gaining strength, and we are really looking forward to continuing that in 2023,” Pickering said.
“The work we are doing is not only connecting Australia’s freight network but is also a real catalyst for communities and businesses to unlock benefits and opportunities.
“Those benefits are clear from the first phase of construction between Narromine and North Star, which has supported work for nearly 2,000 people since November 2020, including more than 600 locals—nearly 170 of whom are First Nations workers.
“Furthermore, nearly 140 local businesses have shared in nearly $200 million of contracts supporting and servicing the build – helping to spread the benefits of Inland Rail across the local economy.
“We are also very proud that our Inland Rail Skills Academy has already delivered training to more than 2,000 people along the alignment, helping to develop the skills needed to build a better future for our communities.
“Inland Rail is committed to working in partnership with our stakeholders and communities to deliver long-term value.”