A newly upgraded Wangaratta railway station has been officially opened, marking a major milestone in the development of the Inland Rail project and a significant boost for sustainable freight movement across Australia.
The station upgrade signals the completion of Tranche 1 of the Inland Rail Beveridge to Albury (B2A) section, a vital component of the Inland Rail corridor that will eventually connect Melbourne and Brisbane in under 24 hours using double-stacked freight trains.
The Wangaratta redevelopment was essential to providing the necessary clearance for these high-capacity freight services.
Modifications to the station precinct and the replacement of the adjacent Green Street bridge were among the key engineering tasks delivered in partnership with McConnell Dowell. The works included relocating the east track to form a new west track, adding a western platform, lowering tracks beneath the Green Street bridge, and constructing a new pedestrian underpass.
These upgrades not only support freight logistics but also improve station accessibility and safety for passengers, with new lifts, ramps, stairs, a western car park, and 35 high-definition security cameras.
“Inland Rail will transform the way we’re able to move freight across Australia; it’s essential infrastructure that will help us keep pace with our nation’s population growth,” infrastructure minister Catherine King says.
She says Inland Rail was projected to carry 70 per cent domestic use goods, allowing food to be moved from growers to suppliers at speed.
The Inland Rail initiative, managed by the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC), is designed to significantly reduce road freight, lowering carbon emissions and easing pressure on highways. According to ARTC, the shift from road to rail could cut freight-related emissions by up to 75 per cent.
Inland Rail chief executive Nick Miller called the Wangaratta station opening and Tranche 1 completion “an exciting milestone for the whole project”.
“We are another step closer to running double-stacked freight trains from Melbourne to Brisbane,” Miller says.
“The high numbers of local workers and businesses engaged on the project is a terrific result and it’s something we want to replicate all the way to Brisbane.
“We’re determined this project leaves a legacy in the towns it touches, and not just new railway infrastructure.”
During Tranche 1, 1,650 people were employed across the 262-kilometre Beveridge to Albury corridor, including 1,578 regional workers, 488 of whom were from Wangaratta.
Of those employed, 59 identified as First Nations people, 124 were women, 176 were young adults under 25, and 39 were apprentices.
In addition, 346 local businesses were engaged through contracts worth a total of $161.3 million, including 43 Wangaratta-based businesses which shared in $18 million of that investment.
With Tranche 2 of the B2A project now underway, attention has turned to ensuring the same inclusive and sustainable approach continues.
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