Three contractors have been shortlisted to deliver the remaining eight Inland Rail projects between Beveridge and Albury in Victoria.
CPB Contractors, John Holland and McConnell Dowell will now develop their final design and construct tender submissions for the Tranche 2 projects as part of the Request for Tender stage.
“The remaining eight Victorian Inland Rail sites will be awarded to the very best available team and ARTC is now entering a formal Request for Tender phase to determine who will be chosen.
“The successful contractor for this portion of the work will be required to deliver initiatives and meet targets related to industry participation, sustainability, employment, and workforce development with the Inland Rail team working closely with them to achieve these targets.
“The first four Tranche 1 sites are moving quickly, and it will be great to get the shovels in the ground for the remaining eight Tranche 2 sites,” Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) Victoria and South Australia Project General Manager Ed Walker said.
The Victorian section of Inland Rail is comprised of 12 projects split into two tranches – Tranche 1 and 2. Currently, McConnell Dowell is delivering the four Tranche 1 projects at Glenrowan, Barnawartha North, Wangaratta, and Seymour.
The eight work sites under Tranche 2 include:
The successful contractor for Tranche 2 is anticipated to be announced in mid-2024, with construction expected to commence in 2025.
The overall Inland Rail development is delivering a 1,600-kilometre freight rail line that will connect Melbourne and Brisbane via regional Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. The Inland Rail projects will complete the national freight network, transforming how businesses, manufacturers and producers connect to domestic and global markets.
Source: Inland Rail (1, 2); Infrastructure Magazine; Roads & Infrastructure Australia