Wiggins Island Rail Project (WIRP)
The Wiggins Island Rail Project (WIRP) will create a vital link between the new Wiggins Island Coal Terminal and mines in the Southern Bowen and Surat Basins.
As global demand for coal continues to increase and mines expand their operations to meet this demand, planning is underway for the delivery of new and upgraded infrastructure across the supply chain to cater for this growth.
At the Port of Gladstone in Central Queensland, a consortium of mining companies are working to develop a new coal export terminal – the Wiggins Island Coal Export Terminal (WICET).
In Stage One, QR National will deliver a series of rail infrastructure projects that will feed WICET’s 27 million tonnes per annum capacity terminal.
This infrastructure will be delivered accordance with the needs of the mining industry and the staged expansion of WICET.
The Wiggins Island Rail Project (WIRP) is made up of interdependent infrastructure projects across the North Coast Line and Blackwater and Moura Systems. Planning and design activity is currently underway, with first stage of construction planned to commence in early 2012.
The table below provides a summary of the proposed Stage One projects.
| Stage 1 - Sub Project |
Works to be undertaken |
| Balloon Loop |
Construction of a single rail balloon loop near Yarwun to enable unloading of coal for the new WICET port facility. |
| North Coast Line Aldoga Triplication |
Construction of 10km of additional rail track along the North Coast Railway between Aldoga and the Balloon Loop. |
| Moura System Upgrade |
Upgrade of existing rail formation to the east of the Moura system. |
| Rocklands to Stanwell Duplication |
Duplication of 18km of track between Rocklands and Stanwell. |
Dingo to Bluff Duplication
|
Duplication of 23.9km of track between Dingo and Bluff.
|
| Bauhinia North Upgrade |
Upgrade from Rangal to (but not including) the Bandanna spur connection in the north to provide improved rail access on the Bauhinia branch line. |
QR National is also working with the coal industry to conduct studies for potential future projects to link future mine development with WICET..
Environmental Impacts
A number of studies have been undertaken to assess social, cultural, economic and environmental impacts of the proposed works. An EIS for the Moura Link and Aldoga Yard was released for public comment and signed off by the Coordinator-General in October 2009.
For more information about the EIS visit the Department of Infrastructure and Planning site.
Contact Us
If you would like further information about the WIRP Rail Projects, please call the QR National Network Services Community Hotline on 1800 033 881.