Inland Rail

FOLLOWING Minister Chester’s announcement last Wednesday, we now know that the Melbourne to Brisbane Inland Rail route will traverse the lower Condamine floodplain.

This was always a strong possibility given that the Australian Rail Track Corporation had long favoured this route.

Notwithstanding prior knowledge, an elaborate process was undertaken earlier this year (by the government appointed Project Reference Group) to review the relative merits of four possible track options for going from Yelarbon to Gowrie.

Options 1 and 2 went across the lower Condamine floodplain, option 3 went from Karara through the Felton valley while Option 4 went via Warwick.

Option 4 was eliminated early in the process due to cost and operational disadvantages. Option 3 was eliminated later on the basis of relatively higher capital costs and no scope for spin-off benefits along the route.

While a 2015 study by SMEC nominated the route through Felton as ‘preferred’ this study was superseded by the Project Reference Group investigations and findings.

Thus the SMEC study has been discredited and should never enter the discussion again.

The basis for choosing between options 1 and 2 lies closer to Toowoomba and falls outside my scope.

But as a participant in the Project Reference Group process, I wish to make a few clarifying points. First, the PRG review processes (that applied to selecting the best route from among the four options) was comprehensive, impartial and thorough.

The process used multi-criteria analysis and expected capital cost to help differentiate the options.

In addition, public meetings were held in potentially affected areas to give residents insights into the plans and possible impacts.

Throughout the review process, flood risk on the lower Condamine plain was a recurring issue.

In reality, this risk will be managed by application of world class engineering standards that incorporate viaducts and bridges for allowing the egress of flood water beneath the carriage way.

Neither is loss of prime agricultural land a vital issue given the significance of the Inland Rail project to the nation’s future and the track’s relatively small footprint.

Inevitably, large infrastructure projects give rise to impacts.

But those people directly affected should be reassured that the impending Environmental Impact Statement, undertaken to fine-tune the project’s delivery, will be comprehensive, sophisticated and respectful.

With the route decided, it’s time for everyone to move on.