Draft rail crossing revealed

COMMUNITIES from Yandilla through to Brookstead will have their first opportunity to see the preliminary design of the Inland Rail’s crossing of the Condamine floodplain this week.

The preliminary design was presented by the Australian Rail Track Corporation to the Southern Darling Downs Community Consultative Committee at Brookstead last night and will be shared with the wider community during two weeks of information sessions across the Darling Downs.

Property owners along the Inland Rail route between Millmerran and Brookstead have long feared the building of the line would create an inland dam, worsening already severe flooding events along the 12.5km wide floodplain.

A draft engineering solution for the Inland Rail’s crossing of the Condamine Floodplain was fast-tracked late last year, after it was revealed in a Senate Estimates inquiry that no detailed design work had been done on the line’s crossing of the 12.5km floodplain, exposing it to a potential cost blowout.

The work was prioritised by former Infrastructure Minister Darren Chester.

Inland Rail Project Director (North Star to Gowrie) Rob McNamara said a comprehensive design process was being followed.

Numerous design options were examined, with the preliminary design selected due to its “minimal impact” downstream, upstream, and on water flows, Mr McNamara said.

“We will be presenting the preliminary design to the wider community to give them the opportunity to provide feedback. We want as much feedback as possible and I really encourage people to come to our sessions in November, so they can understand how the Condamine floodplain crossing is taking shape,” he said.

For a full list of community information sessions, turn to page 20 or head to https://inlandrail.artc.com.au/.