Consultations for the Inland Rail alignment from Yelarbon to Gowrie are underway in the Darling Downs, as meetings kick off between Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) representatives and the region’s key stakeholders.
ARTC CEO, John Fullerton, and executive general manager of the interstate network, Peter Winder, started talks last week, as part of ARTC’s commitment to extensive landholder and community consultation for the Inland Rail project.
“I have heard from some land owners, local councils, industry, the Queensland Farmer’s Federation and MPs, Dr John McVeigh and Pat Weir,” Fullerton said.
While this is very early in the process these meetings have been a high priority and in the coming weeks locals will have the opportunity to attend community meetings throughout the Darling Downs.”
Fullerton said that there would be many opportunities for landowners and local communities to comment and make submissions as more detailed design and assessment work for the alignment progressed over the coming months.
“We’ll also be holding one on one meetings with landholders in the preferred study corridor,” he said.
“This is an extensive and detailed process, so I also encourage people to register through the Inland Rail website to receive updates or contact ARTC’s team to talk through any questions, concerns or queries.
“Our door is always open and we welcome local knowledge which will result in the best possible project outcome for communities, the region and the country.”
The first ARTC information sessions are to commence in the week of 20 October and run for three to four weeks. Session details, such as meeting times and venues, will be finalised and advertised over the coming days.
The Yelarbon to Gowrie section of the Inland Rail will comprise approximately 146km of new dual gauge track and 78km of upgraded track from the NSW-Queensland border near Yelarbon to Gowrie Junction, north west of Toowoomba in Queensland.
In September, federal infrastructure and transport minister Darren Chester announced that the preferred study corridor for the section would be via Brookstead, Pittsworth and the Wellcamp-Charlton Industrial Precinct.
Field studies within the study corridor are to commence over the coming months, and will investigate local cultural heritage, environmental, social, geotechnical and flood related factors through ground and aerial surveys.