Wagner Corporation unveils new fast rail video connecting Brisbane, Toowoomba and Wellcamp Airport

A 20-year vision of how people could be connected between Toowoomba and Brisbane through rail has been unveiled by one of the region’s most powerful families. Watch the video here.

FUTURISTIC: Wagner Corporation has unveiled a new video showcasing how Wellcamp Airport and its surrounding attractions could be connected by fast rail to Toowoomba and Brisbane.

Imagine leaving Brisbane’s Central Station at 9am and arriving at Wellcamp Airport just an hour later, ready for a flight or a ride to the nearby entertainment precinct.

That’s the vision laid out by Wagner Corporation in a new video showcasing the economic potential of fast rail to the Toowoomba region.

The new concept video, unveiled at The Chronicle’s Future Toowoomba luncheon earlier this month, charts a route through the Lockyer Valley before heading across Toowoomba and ending at Wellcamp Airport.

The new vision coincides with the development of Inland Rail in Toowoomba, which will require tunnelling into the Great Dividing Range.

It also comes as the State Government finishes work on a new fast rail business case for Brisbane to Toowoomba.

Wagner Corporation chair John Wagner said he wanted to capture the imagination of residents and politicians about how transformative fast rail could be for the region heading into the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane.

“What I’ve been trying to convey to all of the general public and our elected representatives is a vision,” he said.

“We have an opportunity in 2032, and we need to think big, much bigger than just what we can do.

“We’ve got to be the best in class and ahead of the ball game.”

John Wagner of Wagner Corporation at the Future Toowoomba lunch at Wellcamp Airport. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Mr Wagner said not only could fast rail allow people to work in Brisbane but live in Toowoomba (or vice versa), but it would connect city residents to a number of major facilities like the airport or Wagner Corp’s planned motorsport park and entertainment space.

“Wellcamp is an international airport, and we need to cater for it,” he said.

“We’ve got Boeing coming to town, we’ve got a whole lot of other people moving here.

“You’ve got the entertainment precinct, which will have up to 600,000 people a year using it, and we’ve got to be able to move them efficiently.

“We wanted to plant the seed to show what this would look.”

Mr Wagner said while the business case would likely show fast rail to Toowoomba wasn’t viable now, leaders needed to show vision through to 2050.

“Toowoomba and Wellcamp has been included, so we’ve got to focus on what we’re going to have in 10 to 20 years’ time,” he said.

“It will be a political decision, but high speed rail totally opens up this community.

“The business case will say it won’t stack up, and few passenger rail lines do.

“It’s a public utility, and it opens up the whole Darling Downs to the southeast Queensland area.”

A Department of Transport and Main Roads spokesman said the business case would be presented to the State Government by early next year.

“Ongoing engagement with all local governments within the study area has been critical to capturing local insights,” he said.