Inland Rail Extension to Brisbane

cancelled

The Inland Rail project was planned to extend a new freight corridor from Melbourne to Brisbane, enabling high-capacity freight services in less than 24 hours. The project was intended to be Australia's biggest rail project in a century, stretching 1600 kilometres. However, the Federal Government has axed plans to extend the rail to Brisbane after an independent assessment found the cost estimate now exceeds $45 billion. Construction will be completed between Beveridge in Victoria and Parkes in New South Wales by the end of 2027, using $1.75 billion in previously announced off-budget funding. The government will focus on preservation of the rail corridor north of Parkes and protect sites for future intermodal terminals in Queensland.