$143M Inland Rail sleeper supply contract awarded

Sleeper inspection at Austrak. with Murray Adams, Managing Director, Rebecca Pickering Interim CE ARTC Inland Rail, Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, Michelle Landry MP, Colin Boyce and Senator Matt Canavan at the Rockhampton site. Image courtesy of ARTC.

The Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) has awarded a $143 million contract to Austrak for the supply of concrete sleepers for Inland Rail projects.

As part of the agreement, Austrak will manufacture and supply more than 1.3 million concrete sleepers for the Inland Rail projects, including 695,000 standard gauge sleepers for projects in New South Wales and 615,000 dual gauge for projects in Queensland.

Connecting Melbourne and Brisbane via regional Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland, the 1,700 kilometre Inland Rail project will upgrade 1,100 kilometres of existing rail line and build 600 kilometres of new track. The project is being delivered in 13 sections across 36 local government areas, including one project in Victoria, seven in New South Wales, and five in Queensland.

ARTC Inland Rail Interim Chief Executive Rebecca Pickering said the contract would serve as a catalyst for regional employment and economic opportunity.

“Inland Rail is a game changer for regional Australia. It will transform how we move goods around Australia, better link businesses to markets and generate new opportunities for industries and regions,” Mrs Pickering said.

“We’ve already committed more than 700 contracts to businesses in both Queensland and New South Wales with a committed value of $2.3 billion across the two states, and this agreement will create even more economic stimulus as the country recovers from the impacts of the pandemic,” she said.

Austrak will employ approximately 30 people at the peak of this work, she said.

“We have already had around 225,000 sleepers delivered from Austrak for the Narromine to North Star project currently under construction and it’s great to have them on board for the remaining projects of Inland Rail,” she added.

Managing Director for Austrak Murray Adams said the company was delighted that ARTC Inland Rail had selected Austrak for a contract of this magnitude.

“This contract win means a great deal to our local communities in Rockhampton where we employ over 60 people, and in Wagga where we will employ 35 people while supporting the delivery of Inland Rail,” Mr Adams said.

“It’s our biggest ever contract and recognises the capabilities of the whole Austrak team who continually producing high quality sleepers that meet the increasing demands of our customers and underpin the increasing importance that rail will play into the future.”

Mrs Pickering said the appointment of Austrak for the delivery of sleepers would allow accelerated investment and local opportunities to regional Australia.

“Sleepers are a vital part of our work on Inland Rail and this contract with Austrak will support the delivery of a project that will join Melbourne and Brisbane with fast, reliable and cost-competitive freight rail,” she said.

“This appointment at this time also allows Austrak to maximise local jobs and procurement, and they will soon be seeking partnerships with businesses and skilled operators that can support its delivery.

For information on Inland Rail tenders and market opportunities or to register your interest on the ICN Gateway, visit here.