The upgraded Wangaratta railway station has officially opened, marking the completion of major works on Tranche 1 of Inland Rail’s Beveridge to Albury (B2A) section.
The milestone signals progress on the broader Inland Rail program, which will connect Melbourne and Brisbane with a high-capacity freight line capable of running double-stacked trains. Once complete, the network is expected to cut freight transit times between the two capitals to under 24 hours.
Work at Wangaratta formed a key part of Tranche 1. Delivered with construction partner McConnell Dowell, the overhaul included relocating the east track to form a new west track, adding a new western platform, lowering the line beneath the Green Street bridge and replacing the bridge on the same alignment. Two pedestrian footbridges were also removed and replaced by a single underpass.
Accessibility and safety have been enhanced with new lifts, stairs, ramps and pathways, as well as a western car park and 35 security cameras across the precinct.
The B2A Tranche 1 scope also covered track lowering at the Murray Valley Highway in Barnawartha North and bridge replacements at Glenrowan and Seymour-Avenel Road. In total, the tranche involved upgrades across a 262km stretch between Beveridge and Albury.
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Federal infrastructure minister Catherine King said the new-look station represents a step forward for Inland Rail.
“The project is now well on the way, with the opening of the Wangaratta Station and the completion of the first of two tranches on the Beveridge to Albury section,” said King. “Almost 1,650 people were employed on this project and injected $18 million in Wangaratta businesses.”
King noted that Inland Rail is expected to carry predominantly domestic freight.
“Inland Rail is projected to carry 70 per cent domestic use goods, which means we’ll be able to get food from our growers to our suppliers to our homes in rapid speed,” she said.
Inland Rail CEO Nick Miller described the completion of Tranche 1 as an exciting milestone for the entire program.
“We are another step closer to running double-stacked freight trains from Melbourne to Brisbane,” said Miller. “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.”
Miller added that the project’s benefits were designed to last well beyond construction.
“We’re determined this project leaves a legacy in the towns it touches, and not just new railway infrastructure,” he said. “We want to expose local workers to new opportunities, boost skills and develop and expand capabilities of businesses so they can grow and thrive after we’re gone.”
Nearly 1,650 workers contributed to Tranche 1 delivery – including 488 from Wangaratta and 1,578 from the broader region. The project engaged 346 local businesses, with 43 from Wangaratta alone sharing in $18 million worth of contracts. First Nations businesses accounted for 10 of those companies, and 59 First Nations people were employed on the project. Apprentices, women and young people were also represented, with 39 apprentices, 124 women and 176 workers under 25.
Tranche 2 of the B2A project – which will complete the Victorian section of Inland Rail – is now underway.