Ten consultation sessions on the Inland Rail project will take place in May between Gowrie and Calvert in Queensland, enabling locals to learn more about the project and to share their opinions with representatives from the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC).
Technical specialists working on the project will be available for discussions with community members during the sessions, which are being held at townships along the planned Inland Rail corridor sections from Gowrie to Helidon and Helidon to Calvert.
Over recent weeks, experts have been conducting ecology studies, site-walk throughs, and geotechnical testing, and field investigations for geotechnical, flooding and hydrology, ecological, noise, air quality and vibration, utility identification and cultural heritage surveys.
The ARTC’s Inland Rail programme delivery director, Simon Thomas, said that the ARTC considered the consultation sessions as “vital” to the planning and design process, and would contribute to the development of the environmental impact statement (EIS) for the two sections of the rail corridor.
“We would love to see lots of community members taking the opportunity to come and talk to us about what’s involved in the studies and investigations, and to share their knowledge, particularly in relation to historical flooding events the Toowoomba and Lockyer Valley regions,” Thomas said.
“These sessions will focus on matters that will be addressed in the EIS and provide opportunities for people to ask questions of the subject matter experts and offer their feedback on the alignment.”
The community consultation sessions will be held at the following locations:
- Monday 14 May, 4-7pm, Lockyer Valley Cultural Centre, Gatton
- Wednesday 16 May, 4-7pm, Grandchester Community Hall, Grandchester
- Thursday 17 May, 4-7pm, Forest Hill School of Arts, Forest Hill
- Saturday 19 May, 10am-2pm, Gowrie Junction Community Hall, Gowrie Junction
- Monday 21 May, 4-7pm, Withcott Sports Centre, Withcott
- Wednesday 23 May, 4-7pm, Toowoomba City Library, Toowoomba
- Thursday 24 May, 4-7pm, Lockyer Valley Cultural Centre, Gatton
- Saturday 26 May, 9am-12pm, Grandchester Community Hall, Grandchester
- Saturday 26 May, 2-5pm, Laidley Sports Complex, Laidley
- Tuesday 29 May, 4-7pm, Helidon & District Community Centre, Helidon.