Inland Rail - Border to Gowrie

Project overview*

EIS status	EIS active
Description	216 kilometre single-track dual-gauge freight railway
Proponent	Australian Rail Track Corporation Limited
Location/s	Queensland Border to Gowrie. Map
Local government/s	Goondiwindi Regional Council Toowoomba Regional Council
Investment	$1.4 billion
Key features	145 kilometres of new dual-gauge track and 71 kilometres of upgraded track to accommodate double stack freight trains up to 1800 metres long construction of rail infrastructure, 34 bridges, and five crossing loops connection to the existing West Moreton System and Interstate railway lines ancillary works including road and public utility crossings and realignments.
Expected completion	2026
Jobs	400 (construction)

* Project information supplied by proponent and subject to change.

Frequently asked questions

The Coordinator-General has prepared responses to frequently asked questions (FAQs) about the EIS process for the Inland Rail – Border to Gowrie project.

Flood Panel review

Parallel to the Coordinator-General’s EIS process, the Flood Panel is currently reviewing the draft EIS for the project and is preparing a report.

Information on the Flood Panel review and report

Members of the public can contact the panel regarding the review and report at InlandRailFloodPanel@tmr.qld.gov.au, or in writing to:

The Department of Transport and Main Roads
Inland Rail Team
GPO Box 213 Brisbane Qld 4001.

Have your say

Australian Rail Track Corporation has prepared a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Inland Rail – Border to Gowrie project.

The Coordinator-General has released the draft EIS for public and government agency submissions.

You are invited to make a submission on the draft EIS, including the project’s potential direct and indirect environmental impacts and the effectiveness of measures proposed to manage those impacts.

The Coordinator-General will consider your submission as part of the evaluation of the project’s environmental impacts.

Submissions close at 5pm on 19 April 2021.

Read and make a submission on the draft EIS.

Environmental impact statement (EIS) process

Date	Activity
23 January 2021 to 19 April 2021	Draft EIS public consultation. Draft EIS, including appendices.
15 July 2020	Coordinator-General stated a new project declaration lapse date of 27 May 2021.
15 May 2020	Coordinator-General stated a new project declaration lapse date of 16 July 2020.
16 November 2018	Terms of reference for EIS ( 315 KB) released
7 May - 18 June 2018	Draft Terms of reference for EIS public consultation ( 300 KB)
9 April 2018	Delegate for the Commonwealth Minister for the Environment and Energy decided that the project is a 'controlled action' A project that has the potential to have a significant impact on matters of national environmental significance is called a 'controlled action' and requires approval under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cwlth).
16 March 2018	Gazettal ( 251 KB) of 'coordinated project' declaration.
2 March 2018	Complete final initial advice statement ( 19 MB), submitted The above has also been split into smaller documents for easier downloading: Final initial advice statement part 1 of 5 ( 4.4 MB), submitted Final initial advice statement part 2 of 5 ( 4.9 MB), submitted Final initial advice statement part 3 of 5 ( 4.9 MB), submitted Final initial advice statement part 4 of 5 ( 4.6 MB), submitted Final initial advice statement part 5 of 5 ( 1 MB), submitted
16 February 2018	Application, including initial advice statement submitted.
16 February 2018	Project referred to Commonwealth Minister for the Environment and Energy.