Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) awarded John Holland the contract to deliver construction programme to complete Inland Rail Beveridge – Albury tranche 2 section of the project which includes construction at Benalla, Euroa, Wandong, Hume Freeway – Tallarook and Seymour, and three further sites in Broadford.
The AUD 470 million (USD 310.2 million) contract will see John Holland replace bridges and lower tracks to allow the safe passage of double-stacked freight trains from Brisbane to Melbourne.
In addition, Euroa and Benalla railway station precincts will also undergo major transformations making them safer and more accessible for rail passengers with new platforms, pedestrian underpasses, and additional parking.
Inland Rail Beveridge – Albury tranche 2 mobilisation and planning will start immediately, construction will commence in early 2025 and it is scheduled to be completed in 2027.
Inland Rail Beveridge – Albury section covers upgrade works for 262 km of existing rail track between Beveridge, north of Melbourne, and the Victoria-NSW border at Albury-Wodonga.
Work will be completed at 12 sites along the North East rail line and delivered in two parts, called ‘tranches’. Tranche 1 covers four sites, modifications to tracks, utilities and signal gantries with construction delivered by McConnell Dowell.
“This is a major step forward for the Inland Rail project in Victoria with all twelve sites now under contract. Tranche 1 sites at Glenrowan, Wangaratta, Seymour are progressing well, and Barnawartha North is completed. John Holland is currently carrying out early works and site investigations before kicking off Tranche 2 construction early in the new year,” Nick Miller, Inland Rail CEO said.
John Holland was selected based on their experience delivering major civil and rail projects including Inland Rail Narrabri to North Star Phase 1 last year and the North East Rail Line ugrade (NERL) in 2021. In addition, John Holland is part of the consortium building the Melbourne Metro Tunnel project.
In Victoria, work will take place at 12 sites between Beveridge and Albury, to enable double-stacked freight trains to pass safely and ensure everyday products can be delivered faster and more reliably around Australia.
Inland Rail covers upgrades or enhancement works to approximately 1,000km of existing track and construction of 600km of new track passing through regional Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.
Inland Rail project will transform how goods are moved around Australia, first connecting Beveridge to Narromine, NSW, by 2027 before later connecting to Ebenezer, Queensland.
by Paula Gheorghiu
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