The Australian government has begun development for high-speed rail line between Newcastle and Sydney backed by funding of AU$659.6 million that could get the project “construction ready” in two years.
The high-speed rail will cut travel times to around one hour from Newcastle to Central Sydney, with travel from the Central Coast to either Sydney or Newcastle reduced to just 30 minutes.
The development phase, following recommendations from Infrastructure Australia, will involve detailed work to lock in the design, approvals process, scope and cost to ensure major construction contracts can be awarded.
As part of the development phase, the government will also assess a range of potential public and private financing options, which will inform a future government investment decision once project scope, cost and risk are finalised.
Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King said: **“**High Speed Rail between Newcastle and Sydney will change the way people live, work and travel in our country’s most populous region.
“It will connect the Newcastle and Central Coast communities to Sydney in a way that has never been done before.”
The government released a business case prepared by the High Speed Rail Authority, which highlights the benefits of a national high-speed rail network. It found that it will boost the Australian economy by AU$1.680 trillion by 2086 by enhancing connectivity along the east coast, fostering regional development and expanding tourism.
In particular, the Newcastle to Sydney rail could attract more than 99,000 new jobs and boost the economy by more than AU$250 billion by 2086. The project could also accelerate progress towards Australia’s net zero commitments by saving more than 86,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions.
Lauren Streifer, CEO, Public Transport Association Australia New Zealand (PTAANZ), said the government’s funding commitment towards the high-speed rail project is a step towards greater certainty for the rail sector.
“High speed rail in Australia will re-shape how our east coast regions and cities grow, better connecting generations to come. High speed rail can unlock faster connections between communities, and bring new jobs and new homes together.”
“Today’s significant commitment to detailed planning will help secure the project corridor, keeping costs down and delivering services sooner. It will be welcomed by Australia’s public transport and infrastructure sector.”
Meanwhile, Cement Concrete & Aggregates Australia (CCAA) said the announcement of the development phase reinforces the importance of a coordinated NSW Heavy Construction Materials Plan to ensure that such projects can proceed efficiently, with stable supply and controlled budget outcomes.
CCAA CEO Michael Kilgariff said such infrastructure projects must be matched by disciplined planning for the materials that underpin it.
“For a project the scale of High Speed Rail, with extensive civil works, structures, stations and supporting infrastructure, understanding future materials demand and existing supply capacity is fundamental to managing cost pressures and maintaining construction timeframes,” Kilgariff said.
“Between now and 2036, at least 500 million tonnes of finished quarry products will be required to supply the Greater Sydney region alone, highlighting the scale of materials required across concurrent public and private projects.”
