Rail line open for business between Narrabri and North Star

Major construction work has been completed on the section of the Inland Rail between Narrabri and North Star.

A commissioning ceremony was held at the northern end of the section, at Milguy, on Friday.

Civic leaders were joined by Inland Rail and Trans4M officials and staff to mark the occasion.

Work on the line had been previously completed between Narrabri and Moree, with trains now also able to service rural communities north of Moree.

With the infrastructure handed back to track operator, ARTC, trains can now service grain silos at Milguy, Croppa Creek, and North Star after two and a half years of construction.

Inland Rail project director Narrabri to North Star, Peter Borrelli said the completion of major construction on Narrabri to North Star phase one is a tremendous achievement.

“Together with our principal contractor Trans4m Rail, our teams have achieved a fantastic result despite facing challenges during construction of the pandemic, two floods, and mouse plagues in the region,” he said.

“The Narrabri to North Star phase one project brought with it an economic boost to communities in north west New South Wales, and we are looking forward to seeing more regional benefits in coming years with construction between Parkes and Albury prioritised for completion by 2027,” Mr Borrelli said.

Following the completion of major work, Inland Rail said local communities had received an economic boost from the project, with $244 million spent with 137 local businesses, including nearly $9 million spent with First Nations businesses.

More than 2000 people worked on the project, including 678 locals.

The Narrabri to North Star phase one project included upgrading 176km of track along the existing rail corridor.

Inland Rail completed upgrades to seven bridges, and has enhanced safety at 57 level crossings, with 10 passive level crossings upgraded to active with bells, lights, and boom gates.

The project has utilised Australian-made materials including more than 290,000 concrete sleepers, and 4700 precast culverts.

Bulk earthworks to rebuild the track foundation and raise it to a higher level, along with associated new bridges and larger culverts under the alignment were also completed to boost the flood resilience of the rail line, which proved effective during severe weather in the region late last year.

Phase two of the project, which involves further upgrades and building 2km of new track north of Moree, is currently in approvals with Inland Rail now preparing a preferred infrastructure report and a response to submissions for the NSW Department of Planning and Environment.