Illabo To Stockinbingal Takes Final Step On Approvals

The Illabo to Stockinbingal (I2S) section of Inland Rail has received Australian Govern­ment approval, green-lighting the project to move into the construction phase in 2025.

The project was assessed under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, which focuses on the avoidance, minimisa­tion and management of impacts on biodi­versity matters of national significance.

The Commonwealth’s conditions of ap­proval supplement the NSW approval to protect threatened species and habitats in the project area. The approval is available online in the EPBC public portal.

The 39-kilometre Illabo to Stockinbingal section of Inland Rail will create a new di­rect route from east of Illabo tracking north to Stockinbingal in New South Wales and is the only new section of track from Bev­eridge to Parkes.

The route will bypass the townships of Cootamundra and Bethungra and the wind­ing, steep section of track known as the Bet­hungra Spiral on the Main South line, open­ing a more efficient way to transport freight.

Works on the Illabo to Stockinbingal sec­tion will be carried out by construction part­ner John Holland, which has been awarded the Design and Construct (D&C) contract.

The work will include the construction of several bridges and level crossings, nu­merous culverts, as well as a new crossing loop.

I2S forms part of the Inland Rail section in NSW from Albury to Parkes which has provided considerable employment and business opportunities. Since July 2023 Inland Rail has spent $7.4 million with 86 local businesses on the project between Albury and Parkes. On the same section, Inland Rail has employed a total of 434 people. 135 of the total are local residents, and 40 of the total are women. 40 of the to­tal are First Nations people. Of the 135 lo­cal residents, 24 are First Nations people.

For information please visit https://inlan­drail.com.au/where-we-go/projects/illaboto-stockinbingal/