Brisbane mayor Adrian Schrinner digs Inland Rail tunnel proposal

Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner has backed a proposal to build a 60km tunnel beneath the Queensland capital to connect the city’s port to the Inland Rail freight line.

A double-stack train on the Inland Rail line, one of Australia's largest infrastructure projects.

Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner has backed a proposal to build a 60km tunnel beneath the Queensland capital to connect the city’s port to the Inland Rail freight line.

National Trunk Rail’s vision also includes upgrading the existing West Moreton rail line into the Surat Basin with the promise of using extra royalties and tax revenue from resources and agriculture to fund the project.

The revamped proposal, which is being considered by the Queensland government, comes after concerns from industry the 1600km freight line would not make it into the state.

Mr Schrinner, a Liberal ­National Party member who also heads the Southeast Queensland Council of Mayors, said the proposal could enhance Brisbane’s liveability and boost the economy.

“A tunnel is the best and only real option for a dedicated freight connection to the Port of Brisbane,” Mr Schrinner said.

“Sending freight underground to the Port of Brisbane has the ­potential to boost Brisbane’s economy, protect our lifestyle while keeping Brisbane moving.

“This is an exciting proposal that will mean fewer trucks on Brisbane roads and less congestion while future-proofing our economy.”

Research by the University of Queensland has identified more than $500bn worth of economic, social and environmental benefits by 2050 by removing 2.4 million truck journeys from Brisbane roads and enabling easier movement of transport containers and agricultural, mining and livestock freight to the port.

NTR’s proposal also provided a potential solution to the high cost of engineering required to get the rail line down the steep Toowoomba range, west of Brisbane.

The consortium plans to run battery-powered, automated ­locomotives from Gowrie, near Toowoomba, to a proposed Inland Rail intermodal terminal at Ebenezer, near Ipswich. From there, freight would be moved by an automated, battery-powered shuttle directly to the port via the 60km tunnel.

Queensland Nationals senator Susan McDonald also backed the NTR proposal, saying the easier transportation of agricultural and mining commodities from the Darling Downs and Surat Basin would boost the economy.

“Inland Rail is a terrifically ­important project and the connection between Goondiwindi and the Port of Brisbane is critical for Queensland,” she said.

“The way the project is tracking currently looks like the Port of Brisbane could become sterilised or become a stream of truck movements through an already congested city.

“Access to bring coal, wheat and other products to the port and the opportunity to get imported products from the port to Ebenezer intermodal terminal for distribution will be great for the development of Queensland.”

Since the 2023 review of Inland Rail by former government and business executive Kerry Schott, the Albanese government has advocated for a “staged approach” to works based on environmental approvals and land acquisition and has focused on completing works between Melbourne and Narromine in NSW.

The government has agreed in principle that Inland Rail “should extend at least to Ebenezer”.