Toowoomba leaders fear $31bn Inland Rail will become a 'railway to nowhere'
Local leaders warn Toowoomba risks missing out on massive economic opportunities as the troubled $31bn Inland Rail project fails to progress into Queensland.
Toowoomba can cash in on a river of gold if the beleaguered Inland Rail can finally reach our region, but local leaders fear the worst if the pace isn’t picked up.
The troubled $31bn project will be a major topic of discussion at Thursday’s Rail Summit hosted by The Chronicle and the Toowoomba Regional Council.
The roundtable of the region’s brightest and most influential voices will also develop an action plan to link Toowoomba to Brisbane by passenger rail.
After being first funded by the Turnbull government nearly 10 years, the Inland Rail has lurched through reviews and delays across its planned 1600km-stretch between Brisbane and Melbourne.
The Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) has been frequently criticised for its handling of consultation with affected landholders.
Just three sections, between Parkes and Narromine, between Narrabri and North Star (near Goondiwindi) and the first tranche of works for Beveridge to Albury, are complete while work is progressing on the track connecting Albury to Parkes.
Crucially for Toowoomba, none of the four Queensland sections are under construction, with the border-to-Gowrie stretch currently undergoing its revised environmental impact statement phase.
Inland Rail is now reviewing the submissions and preparing a response for the state government.
Toowoomba’s political and economic leaders have united around the catchcry “Get it to Gowrie”, arguing some of Inland Rail’s benefits could be unlocked by connecting it to the Toowoomba Bypass.
Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise executive director Dr John McVeigh said he was still confident the project was heading in the right direction.
“I would encourage all parties involved to not cut any corners, absolutely not cut any corners – do this properly, but make it a priority and pick up the pace wherever possible,” he said.
“As a long-term supporter of Inland Rail, I’m very pleased to hear through those updates that we’re hoping to hear some final assessment from the co-ordinator-general by mid-2026, so hopefully over six months away.
“It has to stack up, but all going well we might see some decent progress then.
“We’re at this EIS consideration phase, it would be good to see that completed as has been suggested by mid-next year and then on with the job.”
Dr McVeigh said he had received assurance from the federal government that the plan was still to end Inland Rail at Brisbane.
“Catherine King (infrastructure minister) told a TSBE delegation to Canberra last year that she was still committed to the ultimate vision of Melbourne to Brisbane, but thus far it’s only really progressing from a planning and construction perspective to mid-New South Wales,” he said.
“We need to continue to lobby for it to come on into Queensland by the time that it gets to Toowoomba.
“By the time we get to Toowoomba we technically have a Melbourne to Brisbane connection because of the existing western railway line, let alone the Warrego Highway and bypass that connects Toowoomba and Brisbane.”
Groom MP Garth Hamilton was less confident, having previously questioned whether the project could be delivered.
“There have been, in that time, continued statements that the project will be delivered (and) it is being worked through,” he said.
“As I’ve said before, I am starting to get concerned because the only people who I am hearing from are landholders, who just want to know what the hell is going on their properties.
“I’m losing faith that we’re going to answer the Inland Rail conversation, let alone passenger rail.”
Prominent Toowoomba businessman Denis Wagner expressed fears about where western Queensland freight would go if the northern sections weren’t fast-tracked.
“It’s a huge opportunity to move freight through regional Australia and move it efficiently,” he said.
“It’s not just for regional Australia – the metropolitan areas of Brisbane and Melbourne will benefit significantly from it because it gives an alternative to road transport for our freight.
“We’re just missing out — it’s a railway line to nowhere at the moment.”
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Originally published as Toowoomba leaders fear $31bn Inland Rail will become a 'railway to nowhere'
