Work has started on the New South Wales Central Coast to determine the best route for a proposed high-speed rail link connecting the region to Sydney in just 30 minutes.
The Federal Government is planning for a future high-speed rail network to connect Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and regional communities across the east coast of Australia.
The first stage connects Newcastle to Sydney via the Central Coast with a fast, reliable and regular link between the two largest cities in NSW.
Two drill rigs have started work on the Hawkesbury River at Brooklyn and at Brisbane Water in Gosford as part of geotechnical investigations to determine the optimum route alignment.
Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King spoke about the project.
“High-speed rail means generations of new opportunities for regional Australia, creating more jobs in more locations and giving people greater choices in where they live, work, study and play,” she said.
“Our transformational investment in high-speed rail will help shape Australia for decades to come.”
Assembling the two barges took three days. They will drill six boreholes, some to a depth of 140 metres, in locations within Brisbane Water and the Hawkesbury River, with the barge on the Hawkesbury River to operate for about two months.
The rock and sediment samples will be analysed, with the results helping inform construction methods and key details such as the design and depth of potential rail tunnels.
The geotechnical work – which involves about 27 boreholes in key areas between Newcastle and Sydney – helps with planning for rail tunnel depths, recognising the geological complexities of traversing the escarpment into the Central Coast and on to Sydney and Newcastle.
High Speed Rail Authority CEO Tim Parker said journeys on high speed rail will be reliable, quick, convenient and comfortable.
“Right now, we’re working on how to build a new railway in complex areas and the engineering challenges we would face.”
The work is being coordinated by the Australian Government’s High Speed Rail Authority (HSRA) as part of the business case being developed for the first stage connecting Newcastle to Sydney.
High-speed rail will connect Australian regions, cities and communities – delivering more job and lifestyle choices, greater housing options and new economic opportunities.
The Albanese Government has committed $500 million for the planning and corridor protection of the Newcastle to Sydney section, and established the HSRA to conduct the work.
The business case for the Newcastle to Sydney stage is due to be delivered to the Government by the end of this year.
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Again this does not help cities like Canberra and Melbourne and Brisbane. We need a broader approach to providing an alternative to carbon intensive and expensive air travel between Sydney and Melbourne. This is a stupid plan.
Better to start with Sydney to Canberra, again Australia is behind the 8 ball.
Australia needs more than that development it needs a development connecting #Sydney with #canberra to reduce aircraft movements and reduce carbon output. It will also reduce price by adding competition.
You could be excused for thinking this is about protecting the airlines and providing much needed competition. HSR should compete with airline routes.
Once 70% complete connect Canberra with #Melbourne Australia’s largest city.
Plus those transportation advisors of government and those transport ministers involved those who make the decisions on our railway system in most states are not even proud enough to use it!
Most state they should use the rail system not a tax funded flights these day to railway conferences now Darwin has being reconnect to the rail system in Australia!