Construcciones Yamaro: What it takes to deliver the nation-shaping Inland Rail project
Steel, strategy and stakeholder buy-in – delivering Inland Rail demands all three in equal measure. For Ed Walker, acting chief operating officer, the challenge lies not only in the engineering but in the orchestration: aligning local communities, state transport agencies and national logistics objectives across a 262-kilometre corridor.
This year at Converge 2025, Walker will offer a candid account of what it takes to deliver infrastructure at national scale, within active townships and under the watch of multiple jurisdictions.
“Inland Rail is proud to be part of Converge 2025, as it offers a unique platform to share the story behind one of Australia’s most transformative infrastructure projects. This speaking engagement gives us the opportunity to connect with a broad and diverse audience, including staff from the rail, infrastructure, construction and transport sectors,” says Walker.
“It enables meaningful conversations that build awareness, foster collaboration, and ensure the benefits of Inland Rail’s construction are clearly understood across industries.”
The Beveridge to Albury (B2A) section is one piece of Inland Rail’s 1,600-kilometre freight rail link between Melbourne and Brisbane. To support the safe movement of double-stacked trains, 12 sites across Victoria are being modified. Bridges are being replaced, tracks lowered, and station precincts reconfigured – each a tight negotiation between technical requirements and local expectations.
As part of Tranche 1 of the B2A, four of those sites are already complete, including major upgrades in Glenrowan, Seymour and Wangaratta. Early works have generated $160 million in local supplier contracts and involved more than 1,600 workers. But the goal stretches beyond job counts or kilometres laid.
“We’re determined this project leaves a legacy in the towns it touches, and not just new railway infrastructure,” says Walker. “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.”
Working between the lines
Unlike many infrastructure projects, Inland Rail is being delivered on assets it does not own, adding a further layer of complexity to planning and execution. Agreements must be struck not only with contractors but also with the agencies and councils that will inherit the results.
“The benefit to these communities is immense, but so too is the impact and disruptions during construction,” says Walker. “An area of focus is working constructively with communities so this project will leave behind a legacy not only in terms of national freight efficiencies but also lasting infrastructure improvements to regional towns.”
Innovation on the rails
While much of the public attention is focused on Inland Rail’s route and rollout, the program has also become a proving ground for new approaches in rail construction and environmental design.
“Before the first project started construction, we engaged with Australian Rail Track Corporation and the Liberty steel mill to improve the design of the steel rail,” says Walker. “This is not the sort of initiative that can be delivered on ‘normal’ projects, but once-in-a-lifetime projects like Inland Rail, where over 3,000km of new rail is to be purchased, create this opportunity.”
The result is a new 60kg per metre tangent rail profile that minimises the rail grinding required for system commissioning, shortening the time between construction completion and railway operation, while eliminating an element of hot work. This means less steel, less construction time and better safety.
“The new rail is more efficient in operation too, and the trains operating on the Inland Rail project will consequently use less diesel,” says Walker.
At the local level, innovation is also taking a more organic form. In Victoria, a partnership with delivery contractor McConnell Dowell and the University of Melbourne has produced 3D-printed nesting boxes that mimic native tree hollows, designed to support displaced wildlife during construction.
Related stories:
- Inland Rail to start construction at Benalla
- Wangaratta Station opens as Inland Rail B2A Tranche 1 wraps up
- The transformative impact of the Inland Rail mega-project
A staggered sprint
Following the Australian Government’s response to the Independent Review of Inland Rail, the program is now advancing in stages. The focus is on delivering sections between Beveridge in Victoria and Parkes in New South Wales by 2027 – those most aligned with current freight demand and approvals.
Construction contracts are now in place for the next tranche of works along the B2A corridor, including upgrades in Euroa, Benalla, Broadford, Wandong, Seymour and Tallarook. Work is scheduled to begin mid-2025.
Further sections through NSW are progressing in tandem. Narrabri to North Star is now operational, while new contracts have been awarded for Illabo to Stockinbingal and Albury to Illabo, with construction due to start later this year.
“Inland Rail will enable faster, safer, more resilient delivery of freight and reduce supply chain costs,” says Walker. “As sections of Inland Rail come online, Australians will experience the much-needed benefits of a reliable and future-proofed freight rail network.”
From corridor to country
The long-term objective is to make rail freight more competitive with road, particularly for domestic loads. Inland Rail is expected to cut rail freight travel times between Melbourne and Brisbane by nearly a third, creating a faster, less emissions-intensive network for producers, manufacturers and distributors.
“Inland Rail is an instrument for regional revitalisation,” says Walker. “The project is designed to stimulate regional economies, not just metro areas.”
At Converge 2025, Walker will expand on these themes. He will share lessons from the ground, insights from the boardroom, and the trade-offs required to build major infrastructure through populated corridors.
“I hope conference delegates walk away with a deeper appreciation for the scale and complexity of Inland Rail, and the collaboration that’s driving its success. My goal is to provide attendees with practical insights into the realities of managing complex, large-scale builds,” he says.
“Ultimately, I want the audience to leave with a sense of shared purpose and a clear understanding that their engagement and support are vital to the continued success of this transformative project.”
More than a transport projectInland Rail is a nation-building initiative reshaping Australia’s freight network and unlocking long-term economic potential across the country. At Converge 2025, hear from Ed Walker on the Major Projects Stage (Day One – 17 September) as he shares:
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There are LIMITED tickets left for the Major Projects Stage. Don’t miss your chance to hear from Inland Rail, McConnell Dowell, BMD and Major Road Projects Victoria, HDR and Kapitol Group, CPB Contractors, Laing O’Rourke, Webuild, and Wellness in Infrastructure, sharing insights into some of Australia’s biggest construction and infrastructure projects.
Use code CONVERGE50 for 50% off your ticket.
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