Angry landholders to meet over Inland Rail debacle

LARRY Pappin learnt only two days ago that the massive Inland Rail might run through his property - and he wants some answers.

LARRY Pappin learnt only two days ago that the massive Inland Rail might run through his property - and he wants some answers.

The Athol landholder and dozens of other angry residents south-west of Toowoomba will meet with Groom MP John McVeigh tomorrow to learn why they hadn't received more consultation on the four proposed routes through southern Queensland for the $10 billion project.

The section between Yelarbon in the Southern Downs and Gowrie west of Toowoomba is the only part of the route yet to be determined, with Transport Minister Darren Chester to make the final decision.

OPTIONS: THe four potential routes for the Inland Rail between Yelarbon to Gowrie, three of which run past Wellcamp airport. Picture: ARTC

Alongside the existing initial route through larger properties in Millmerran, three alternative routes were introduced by the Australian Government late last year, all of which appear to run past Wellcamp airport and then deviate through different parts of the Southern Downs.

Mr Pappin said he only heard about the alternatives when a neighbour told him this week, slamming the community consultation process.

"One of our neighbours who has been working on it for quite some time (told me) - she was disappointed in the lack of consultation," he said.

"A neighbour rang me up and told me 'are you aware of this?'.

"Two days ago was when I found out about it.

"We want to know why there's been minimal community consultation and why there isn't an accurate map that depicts the route options."

Federal Member for Groom, John McVeigh. Picture: Jessica Courtnie Photography

Mr Pappin, who runs a small home stay on his Athol property Governor's Choice Winery, said the Inland Rail would have serious impacts on small lifestyle properties in his area.

"I requested a specific map which showed which farms it's going to go through and they couldn't supply that," he said.

"We've got numerous questions (for Mr McVeigh), like why were the three new routes introduced in early 2017 and what's the priority of moving freight by the airport?"

The Inland Rail has been a source of conjecture through southern Queensland since the original Millmerran route was drawn up in 2010, following an exhaustive study into the viability of it.

But a backlash from landholders in the area caused the Government to consider other options, with even a proposal to send the Inland Rail though Warwick considered.

Wagner Group chairman Denis Wagner said in December the company would be willing to build a $235 million rail hub if the route connected with Wellcamp airport.

This is despite a 2015 report by the Inland Rail Implementation Group stating that air freight was not a "viable alternative for addressing Australia's freight task on the Melbourne to Brisbane corridor into the future."

The meeting with Mr McVeigh will be held on Friday from 5.30pm at the Southbrook Hall.

Originally published as Angry landholders to meet over Inland Rail debacle