Words by Marisa Wikramanayake, The Urban Developer

• Work has begun on a 170km section of the Inland Rail mega-project.
• Under way is the line the line between Stockinbingal and Parkes in New South Wales.
• The work is being under taken by Martinus Rail.
• The section includes infrastructure to allow the use of double-stacked freight trains.

Despite many infrastructure projects being paused and assessed as part of a national infrastructure review, the Inland Rail project is going ahead.

Its priority is to complete the line and connection between the Beveridge Intermodal Freight Terminal in Victoria and the Parkes terminal in NSW.

Once completed, the line will connect existing rail networks in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth and Adelaide and the Illawarra via the Parkes and Narromine upgrades.

Martinus Rail was recently awarded the $403.5 million contract for the works between Parkes and Beveridge. Work is scheduled to be completed by 2027.

Meanwhile, the Australian Rail Track Corporation Inland Rail has filed two planning applications with the Victorian planning department for proposed buildings and works along the line to Beveridge.

Intermodal terminals are also being built in Dandenong South and Somerton in Victoria while the Port of Melbourne is investing in key rail infrastructure upgrades.