Inland Rail to open third Queensland office

This article was originally written by Kim Ho for Infrastructure magazine, published February 18 2019.

To assist in the successful delivery of the project, Inland Rail will create a third local project office in Gatton in Queensland’s Lockyer Valley.

Australian Rail Track Corporation’s (ARTC) new base is due to open in March 2019 complementing expanding project offices in Brisbane and Toowoomba where nearly 200 staff are already based.

Inland Rail Chief Executive Officer, Richard Wankmuller, said the Gatton office would have space for up to eight people.

“The crossing of the Great Dividing Range at Gowrie will be a modern engineering marvel and will need a substantial workforce, many of whom will be local residents,” Mr Wankmuller said.

“Expanding our presence into the Lockyer Valley is essential as the project ramps up. Currently we have people out in the field working on hydrology, flora and fauna, geotechnical studies and community engagement,” he said.

“With Inland Rail progressing we are working very closely with the local community and the Lockyer Valley Council who I know are keen to see this office become a hub of information for their community.

“We are currently recruiting for an administration position to be based in the new Gatton office and where we can we will use local people with local knowledge.”

Lockyer Valley Community Consultative Committee (CCC) Chair, Dr Mark Hohenhaus, said the new Gatton office would provide another avenue of support for local residents.

“The Community Consultative Committee process has provided a direct interface between ARTC and residents allowing both sides to explore issues unique to this part of the Inland Rail Project from Gowrie to Helidon and Helidon to Calvert,” Dr Hohenhaus said.

“The CCC gives us an opportunity to explore a whole range of issues, while the new Gatton office will give locals another way to find out about the project and how it affects them.”

Mr Wankmuller said Queensland will see the positive impacts of the Federal Government’s $9.3 billion commitment to deliver Inland Rail.

“What we are seeing now in terms of jobs and local spending is only the beginning with around 60 per cent of construction expenditure for Inland Rail forecast for Queensland,” he said.

“And that’s before you see the significant benefits Inland Rail is going to bring to producers and farmers who need to move their goods around the country and to our Ports.”

Inland Rail will maintain its current presence in Gatton at the Lockyer Valley Regional Council offices taking enquiries until the new office at 47 North Street, Gatton is open.