Inland Rail – Helidon to Calvert project - Frequently asked questions

No. The finalisation of the EIS is the next stage of the EIS process. This will occur after the additional information is provided by ARTC and publicly notified.

Yes. A requirement of the terms of reference is for ARTC to undertake rigorous community and stakeholder engagement during the EIS process.

To ensure this continues to occur, ARTC has been directed to prepare and implement a Community and Stakeholder Engagement Plan. An outline of the plan is included in the draft EIS and will be updated in the revised draft EIS.

To ensure ARTC comply with their community and stakeholder engagement plan after the EIS process is complete, conditions may be set in the project’s evaluation to manage social impacts.

In June 2020, the Australian Government Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications and the Department of Transport and Main Roads as representatives of the State of Queensland, jointly established the Independent panel of experts for flood studies in Queensland (the panel).

Five members of the expert panel were appointed:

• Mark Babister, Chair – Managing Director, WMAwater
• Tina O’Connell – Principal Engineer, Hydrology and Hydraulics, HDR
• Ferdinand Diermanse – Expert Researcher, Deltares
• Steve Clark – Managing Director, Water Technology
• Martin Giles – Senior Principal, BMT.

The panel’s focus was investigating whether national and state guidelines, as well as industry best practice, were applied by ARTC to modelling techniques and outputs to create the existing flood models. The panel assessed four core areas:

• extent
• assumptions
• application
• interpretation.

The panel investigated the design of waterway structures in relation to the Inland Rail in a floodplain environment in Queensland.

Managing the work of the panel was the responsibility of the Australian Government and Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads. The panel reported to a Joint Working Group comprising officers from the Australian Government Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications and the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads. All panel advice, recommendations and deliverables were reported to the Joint Working Group.

On 7 October 2022, the flood panel released their final report and recommendations on the Department of Transport and Main Road’s website.

The final flood report concludes that the flood models developed by ARTC are fit for purpose, in accordance with national guidelines and industry best practice, and account for the impacts of the reference designs. The report recommends ARTC undertake further actions during both the revised draft EIS and detailed design stages and for a suitably qualified practitioner to review the design against the flood impact objectives and actions at key design stages.

The findings of the panel will inform the Coordinator-General’s evaluation of the EIS.

To provide ongoing advice and assurance on the matters raised in the panel’s final report, the Coordinator-General has engaged two of the former panel members, supported by a Geomorphologist.  Their ongoing advice will further inform the Coordinator-General’s evaluation of the EIS.

On 6 April 2023, the Australian Government released The Delivery of Inland Rail: An Independent Review by Dr Kerry Schott AO.

The Australian Government response was also released on 6 April 2023.

Australian Rail Track Corporation Limited (ARTC) is an Australian Government-owned corporation and current operator of the Australian freight network, managing and maintaining approximately 8500 kilometres of rail network across five states.

They currently operate under a sub-lease with the Department of Transport and Main Roads on the interstate rail line from Sydney to Brisbane via Bromelton.

The proposed H2C project would be located between Helidon (east of Toowoomba) and Calvert (south-west of Ipswich) running parallel with the exiting rail alignment. The project would pass near the townships of Helidon, Gatton, Forest Hill, Laidley, Grandchester and Calvert and part of the alignment would tunnel through the Little Liverpool Range.

It connects to the proposed Inland Rail – Gowrie to Helidon (G2H) project at its north-west end and the Inland Rail – Calvert to Kagaru project at its south-east end.

The project spans two local government areas (LGAs) including the Lockyer Valley Regional Council and Ipswich City Council LGAs.

Yes. ARTC referred the project to the Australian Environment Minister for consideration under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, and it was determined that the project is a controlled action.

The State’s evaluation report on the EIS will assess environment matters and make recommendations for the Australian Government to then consider in finalising the evaluation.

An EIS is the highest form of environmental assessment in Queensland. It involves a rigorous assessment of environmental, social and economic impacts.

Broadly an EIS is a rigorous and comprehensive environmental impact assessment of a project, involving whole-of-government coordination and public consultation.

An EIS is prepared in accordance with the terms of reference for the EIS and is publicly notified.

The EIS provides a comprehensive description of:

• the current environment in the area of the project
• all potential environmental, social and economic impacts of the project
• proponent proposals to avoid, minimise, mitigate and/or offset those potential impacts.

The impacts include direct, indirect and cumulative impacts resulting from the construction, commissioning, operation and decommissioning of the project.

The State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971 sets out the EIS process for declared coordinated projects. The Act states that, after the terms of reference for an EIS is finalised, a proponent has 18 months to provide an EIS that is accepted as addressing the terms of reference.This can require several rounds of public consultation.

Timeframes for assessment of the final EIS vary depending on project complexities and the standard of information provided by proponents.

If a proponent needs additional time to prepare and finalise the EIS, they can request an extension of time to the 18-month period allowed for under the Act.

Details of the timeframes granted for the proponent are available on the government’s EIS process.

When an EIS is accepted as ‘final’ the evaluation of the EIS proceeds, taking into consideration submissions received, and an evaluation report on the project’s EIS is produced.

The terms of reference for the project state what ARTC must include in the draft EIS, including assessments of traffic, noise, air quality, flora, fauna and flooding. As well as an assessment of the social and economic effects of the project.

The terms of reference also include specific requirements for public consultation to understand specific detail about people’s concerns. ARTC are required to address in the EIS those concerns and the proposed approach to avoid, reduce, manage or mitigate those concerns.

On 29 November 2019, the Australian and Queensland Governments signed a Bilateral Agreement for Inland Rail which will enable the delivery of the project in Queensland.

The Queensland Government through the Department of Transport and Main Roads is working collaboratively with the Australian Rail Track Corporation on environmental planning of the state's requirements and statutory approvals.

The Act and the Regulation prescribe certain activities as 'regulated activities' that are likely to have a widespread and irreversible impact on an area of regional interest. The Act and the Regulation do not apply to Queensland Inland Rail projects as these are not 'regulated activities' under the Act or the Regulation. There is no proposal to amend the Act or Regulation in this regard.

Potential impacts on strategic cropping land will be fully considered and assessed by the Coordinator-General in the evaluation of the environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Inland Rail projects. The Coordinator-General encourages all affected landholders and communities to make submissions on the draft EISs for the Inland Rail projects to ensure all impacts are adequately considered.  The proponent for the Inland Rail project, the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC), has been required to detail the potential impacts on strategic cropping land and propose avoidance and mitigation measures in the EIS.

Details of the EIS assessment process, including the project’s initial advice statement, terms of reference and draft EIS documents, are available for viewing on the department’s website.

You can also contact the government’s EIS process team at inlandrailh2c@coordinatorgeneral.qld.gov.au

For more information regarding the H2C project, other sections of Inland Rail, and ARTC refer to InlandRailQld@ARTC.com.au