Published Tuesday, 27 March, 2007 at 11:26 AM
Deputy Premier, Treasurer and Minister for Infrastructure
The Honourable Anna Bligh
Future rail yard proposed for Gladstone State Development Area
27 March 2007
Gladstone: Acting Premier Anna Bligh today announced QR proposes to move a future rail maintenance facility at Gladstone to a new location after community input into the project.
Ms Bligh says QR has now completed the review of the responses from the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Wiggins Island Coal Terminal and will recommend a new location for the project.
“The EIS submission closed on 8 January, and through this process a number of residents encouraged QR to find another option, so that is what we have done.
“This is a great result for Gladstone residents and demonstrates QR’s genuine commitment to community engagement while showing that community opinions do influence decisions made by government and government-owned corporations.
“The new proposal, which will undergo another EIS, will allow trains travelling to the Wiggins Island Coal Terminal to go through the industry precinct of the Gladstone State Development Area (GSDA).
“This rail line will ultimately link up with the Surat Basin Railway (formerly Southern Missing Link) and is an important link in the coal supply chain in Queensland, so we want to get it right,” Ms Bligh said.
QR’s Group General Manager of Network Access, Mike Carter says the rail line’s location is important to the community and to QR.
“QR is committed to the Gladstone community and to the coal industry and our aim is to find a solution that works for everyone,” he said.
“Our preliminary environmental study has also indicated this new location to be a good option that won’t impact detrimentally on the surrounding area,” Mr Carter said.
The new proposal includes:
• Moving the proposed rail maintenance yard area from immediately north of the Calliope River to the northern section of the Gladstone State Development Area.
• Increasing the number of tracks from two to four between the new proposed yard and the Mt Miller and Wiggins Island Coal Terminal area.
• Keeping the coal unloading and rail balloon loop at Golding Point or moving it next to the existing railway at Mt Miller and investigating the option to construct a coal conveyor back to Golding Point. A decision on either of these is expected by late April 2007.
• Building new rail connections between the Moura and North Coast rail lines and the proposed rail yards, allowing trains to enter the GSDA from the north.
QR would like to thank the community of Gladstone for their input into the first EIS and encourage people to once again view the proposed works to be located in the northern GSDA region and provide feedback during the consultation period.
Public consultation, an additional EIS process and planning approval for the proposed works will get underway shortly.
Media contacts: Deputy Premier's Office 3224 6900
Transport Minister’s Office 3237 1942
QR Corporate Affairs 3235 2180
Gladstone: Acting Premier Anna Bligh today announced QR proposes to move a future rail maintenance facility at Gladstone to a new location after community input into the project.
Ms Bligh says QR has now completed the review of the responses from the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Wiggins Island Coal Terminal and will recommend a new location for the project.
“The EIS submission closed on 8 January, and through this process a number of residents encouraged QR to find another option, so that is what we have done.
“This is a great result for Gladstone residents and demonstrates QR’s genuine commitment to community engagement while showing that community opinions do influence decisions made by government and government-owned corporations.
“The new proposal, which will undergo another EIS, will allow trains travelling to the Wiggins Island Coal Terminal to go through the industry precinct of the Gladstone State Development Area (GSDA).
“This rail line will ultimately link up with the Surat Basin Railway (formerly Southern Missing Link) and is an important link in the coal supply chain in Queensland, so we want to get it right,” Ms Bligh said.
QR’s Group General Manager of Network Access, Mike Carter says the rail line’s location is important to the community and to QR.
“QR is committed to the Gladstone community and to the coal industry and our aim is to find a solution that works for everyone,” he said.
“Our preliminary environmental study has also indicated this new location to be a good option that won’t impact detrimentally on the surrounding area,” Mr Carter said.
The new proposal includes:
• Moving the proposed rail maintenance yard area from immediately north of the Calliope River to the northern section of the Gladstone State Development Area.
• Increasing the number of tracks from two to four between the new proposed yard and the Mt Miller and Wiggins Island Coal Terminal area.
• Keeping the coal unloading and rail balloon loop at Golding Point or moving it next to the existing railway at Mt Miller and investigating the option to construct a coal conveyor back to Golding Point. A decision on either of these is expected by late April 2007.
• Building new rail connections between the Moura and North Coast rail lines and the proposed rail yards, allowing trains to enter the GSDA from the north.
QR would like to thank the community of Gladstone for their input into the first EIS and encourage people to once again view the proposed works to be located in the northern GSDA region and provide feedback during the consultation period.
Public consultation, an additional EIS process and planning approval for the proposed works will get underway shortly.
Media contacts: Deputy Premier's Office 3224 6900
Transport Minister’s Office 3237 1942
QR Corporate Affairs 3235 2180