The Narrabri to North Star section of the Inland Rail project seeks approval to upgrade approximately 186km of existing rail line and associated facilities between Narrabri and North Star in north west NSW.
An Environmental Impact Statement for the project was on public exhibition from 15 November to 15 December 2017.
In response to submissions received, and consideration of design complexities related to the Mehi-Gwydir floodplain, the project was divided in to two separate portions to allow environmental assessment to proceed for Phase 1 separately to a new consultation and assessment process for Phase 2.
The amendment was introduced in the project’s Submissions and Preferred Infrastructure Report (SPIR).
Phase 1
The Minister for Planning and Public Spaces approved Phase 1 of the Narrabri to North Star project in August 2020, which includes rebuilding existing rail track and track formation, upgrading crossings, replacing rail bridges, adding new road bridges, and providing new crossing loops.
Phase 1 consists of two sections of upgraded track and associated facilities, comprising:
- 93km of track between Narrabri and Moree
- 80km of track between Camurra and North Star.
The project was approved as part of the NSW Government’s Planning System Acceleration Program that is fast-tracking planning assessments to keep people in jobs and the economy moving during the COVID-19 crisis.
Phase 2
Phase 2 involves the upgrade of approximately 13km of the existing rail line track and track formation within the Narrabri to North Star corridor running from Moree north to beyond the Camurra Bypass, including the Mehi-Gwydir river crossings, and construction of 1.6km of new track and formation to bypass the Camurra hairpin.
Next steps
The Commonwealth Department of Environment and Energy has determined the Narrabri to North Star project to be a controlled action under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Once determined by the department, the project will be assessed by the Federal government under an accredited assessment process.
For more information on the Narrabri to North Star section of the Inland Rail project:
- go to Inland Rail
- go to Major Projects.
To download a map which provides an overview of each section of the project between Melbourne and Brisbane, go to Inland Rail.