The Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, the Hon Darren Chester MP, confirmed on Thursday that the preferred rail section of the Melbourne to Brisbane inland rail corridor between Yelarbon and Gowrie had been determined, following a review of four potential alignment options.
The Minister said the decision over the route, which would run via Pittsworth, Brookstead and the Wellcamp-Charlton industrial precinct, was not taken lightly. “All options present challenges but it is my view, based on the available information, that the corridor via Wellcamp and Charlton is the right decision” he said in a statement.
The Government will face stiff opposition to the proposed route, both in Canberra and in the regions, given the direction will cut directly across the Condamine floodplain in the state’s Darling Downs region, and has sparked fears regarding the construction of two metre high embankments, without adequate reinforcements, which could result in unforseen dams.
Inland rail set to cross Condamine floodplain https://t.co/iObJxw8H29 @qclnews #qldpol #qldag #ausag
— Qld Farmers (@QldFarmers) September 20, 2017
The Prime Minister, the Hon Malcolm Turnbull MP, in Queensland on Thursday morning ahead of the State election to spruik the Northern Gateway Upgrade, a $900m Federal Government commitment in northern Brisbane, was forced to defend his Government’s position, telling a packed media conference “they (farmers) have expressed concern, that is true, but the design of the railway embankment or viaduct will be configured so as to ensure that it doesn’t create the sort of problems that often happened in the past”.
