Engineering, Freight Rail, Rail Supply

Expressions of Interest opened for Inland Rail PPP

Eligible parties have been invited to express their interest in the Public Private Partnership to deliver the most technically complex section of the Inland Rail project.

The Expressions of Interest phase has been opened for the contract to design, build, finance and maintain the section of Inland Rail from Gowrie to Kagaru, which includes a 6.5-kilometre tunnel through the Toowoomba Range. The tunnel will be the largest-diameter diesel freight tunnel in the Southern Hemisphere.

Inland Rail CEO Richard Wankmuller said he expected a strong field to formally lodge their interest in the PPP.

“This is an important step which facilitates shortlisting of parties for the issuing of the PPP Request for Proposal, scheduled for later this year,” Wankmuller said on March 29. “There is a clear benefit in going to the market now through an EOI so all interested parties may become aware at a relatively early stage of key requirements from both the Australian and Queensland governments.”

The critical tunnel section through the Toowoomba Range was identified early in the development of Inland Rail as a genuine candidate for private sector involvement, due to the scale and complexity of the task at hand.

“The PPP process will harness the private sector’s experience and innovation to deliver the world-class engineering solution required to conquer the Great Dividing Range,” Wankmuller said.

“This is the type of challenge that excites multi-national contractors, investors and financiers. I am expecting international consortia will bid to have their name associated with this iconic project.

“The geology and topography of this section, which is located mostly within protected corridors, pose many challenges and we are currently undertaking further site investigations to give us a better understanding of the conditions and inform the final design.

“The more involved potential partners are while we are undertaking investigations and working to progress the three project Environmental Impact Statements, the better those parties will be able to adjust their thinking on potential design solutions and innovative construction methods.”

Wankmuller said the PPP’s Request for Proposal is expected to be released later this year once the Australian and Queensland governments have finalised a bilateral agreement for the delivery of Inland Rail.