Concerns voiced about Inland Rail route

Councillors are seeking answers on the Inland Rail route and Narrabri Shire Council’s current position on the alignment.

Elected members Rohan Boehm, Robert Browning and John Clements presented a motion at an extraordinary meeting of council on Tuesday afternoon that documentation relating to a prior minute, on January 27, 2021, be presented to council.

The councillors had initially requested the information be presented to the February ordinary meeting to be held next week, however, agreed to amend the motion for a report to be delivered to the March meeting.

Speaking to the motion, Cr Greg Lamont described the Inland Rail route as a major issue and said a decision that council did, or did not make, should be communicated throughout the community.

Cr Lamont referenced flood concerns, which were voiced in the council-adopted environmental impact statement submission presented at the January 2021 special meeting of council.

“The bottom line here is it needs to be carefully considered,” Cr Lamont said of the current alignment which skirts around the edge of Narrabri.

Cr Lamont moved the motion that a report be delivered to the March meeting. Seconding the motion, Cr Rohan Boehm described the alignment as an issue of significant importance to the community.

“This is not about Inland Rail per se. We’re simply talking about the alignment being brought front and centre to the community,” he said.
Cr Boehm said the community needed to know if Narrabri was going down the path of having a permanent piece of infrastructure which cuts the town into two.”

In its EIS submission adopted last year, council said the current route proposed for the Inland Rail project did not provide an optimum outcome for Narrabri Shire.

“While it is acknowledged that considerable time and effort has been expended on determining a suitable route it is clear from our flood modelling, road network and future development that the route proposed is not optimised for the local community,” the EIS submission read.

“Furthermore, due to its proposed location, Narrabri will have significant impacts to the extent that several properties will be worse off.”

At the time of the extraordinary meeting, local engineer Jim Purcell made a presentation to council and suggested the line be moved further west of the township.

In his presentation to council, Mr Purcell outlined the benefits the alternative route would have for local residents as well as the project.

His suggested route would mean there would be no bridge over Bohena Creek near the Newell Highway.

There also would not be a need to cross Spring Creek.

Mr Purcell told council of his concerns about the line crossing the Namoi floodplain immediately downstream from Narrabri.

“I think it’s important to realise that in fact there is no good reason why we have to have the Inland Rail route immediately downstream of the town,” he said.

“As an engineer, I would say why is it not out here,” he said, pointing to his suggested route.

Former councillors Robert Kneale and Annie McMahon moved and seconded the recommendation at the meeting that council make its submission in accordance with the EIS draft submission report.

The executive report tabled at that meeting said the main areas for council to focus its submission were traffic, transport and access, flood impact and social and economic impact.

Background information presented to councillors said the Flood Committee questioned the proposed location of the railway line immediately downstream of the township of Narrabri and highlighted the potential negative flood impacts on the town.