Revitalising the Murray Basin Rail Network
04 July 2017
Victorian Government:
Works to revitalise more than
1,000 kilometres of Victoria’s
rail freight network will be underway
within weeks, with the McConnell Dowell Martinus Rail joint venture
announced today as the successful tenderer for the project.
Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester and
Acting Victorian Minister for Public Transport Luke Donnellan today
announced the contract award for stages two, three and four of the $440
million Murray Basin Rail Project, which is jointly funded by the
Australian and Victorian governments.
The upgrade will standardise and upgrade the track from broad gauge to
standard gauge, increase axle loading from 19 tonnes to 21 tonnes on the
network apart from Ouyen to Murrayville line, and begin the work to
reopen the 87-kilometre rail line between Maryborough and Ararat.
The upgrade will allow the Murray Basin region to increase exports to
Victoria’s major
ports in Portland, Geelong and
Melbourne.
The project will improve Victoria’s rail freight network and provide the
Murray Basin area with better rail freight services, increased rail
access and greater reliability, and increase the volume of products that
can be transported to market.
The main project office will be established in Maryborough, with other
sites located across the region, including Ararat, Ballarat, Dunolly,
Ouyen and Mildura.
Construction will begin in the coming weeks and will involve the
temporary closure of the Maryborough to Yelta and Ouyen to Murrayville
sections while the upgrades take place.
The Sea Lake and Manangatang lines will remain open during this time so
freight operators can use these as an option to move grain and other
produce using rail.
The first stage of the project was completed in 2016, with the
installation of 175,000 sleepers and 3400 metres of new rail on the
Mildura and Hopetoun lines.
--ENDS--
Source: Victorian Government - www.premier.vic.gov.au
Contact: N/A
External Links: Timelines and more information about the project can be found at www.vline.com.au/murraybasinrail
Recent news by: Victorian Government