The Inland Rail project has taken a major step forward with the announcement that John Holland will deliver the construction program for the remaining eight sites of the project in Victoria.
John Holland has been engaged to complete the Inland Rail Beveridge to Albury (B2A) – 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 $470m 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 Chief Executive Officer Nick Miller said 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,” he said.
“John Holland is currently carrying out early works and site investigations before kicking off Tranche 2 construction early in the new year.
“Inland Rail is keen to involve local people and businesses in the project and to maximise the economic and social benefits for communities along the route.”
B2A Tranche 2 mobilisation and planning will start immediately, construction will commence in early 2025 and it is scheduled to be completed in 2027.
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 Upgrade (NERL) in 2021. In addition, John Holland is part of the consortium building the Melbourne Metro Tunnel Project.
John Holland Executive General Manager – Rail and Transport Steve Butcher said the project builds on our proud partnership with Inland Rail to deliver transformative rail projects – allowing us to leverage our skills and experience in providing end-to-end rail solutions.
“We want to prioritise local jobs and industry when construction kicks off next year to ensure we’ve got the best possible representation of the regional communities we’re building in,” he said.
“We look forward to working closely with these local communities to deliver this transformational project, which will support the future reliability of Australia’s freight network.”
Inland Rail is a nation building project that will transform how goods are moved around Australia, first connecting Beveridge to Narromine, NSW, by 2027 before later connecting to Ebenezer, Queensland.
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 has already spent over $80 million in regional Victoria with 264 local businesses and employed over 1,120 people since construction of the project began.
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