Alice Springs-Darwin Railway
A second transcontinental railway line has now been built across Australia's outback from north to south, assisted in part by a $191.4 million Australian Government financial contribution. The South Australian and Northern Territory governments are also contributing up to $367.8 million to the project, and the rest of the estimated $1.3 billion cost is being financed by the private sector.
The project to link Alice Springs and Darwin with 1420 km of new standard gauge track commenced construction in July 2001 and proceeded well ahead of schedule. The project managers were able to manage work around the prolonged wet season that affects a large proportion of the corridor, and was originally expected to hamper the project significantly.
In addition to its financial contribution, the Australian Government also agreed to lease the 830 km line between Tarcoola (near Adelaide) and Alice Springs to the consortium selected to extend the line.
The entire track network is now integrated with Darwin's new East Arm Port, which includes a railway embankment and intermodal container terminal.
The project is being managed by the AustralAsia Railway Corporation, an organisation set up by the South Australian and Northern Territory Governments. It is being delivered by a private consortium, Asia Pacific Transport, a company with vast experience in transport and related industries, which won the commercial tender to design, construct and operate the railway under a Build Own Operate and Transfer Back (BOOT) arrangement. ADrail is the company's design and construction arm and FreightLink (www.freightlink.com.au), its operating arm.
With the upgraded Port of Darwin, the AustralAsia Railway has created a new transport system linking the southeast of Australia with the fast-growing economies of Asia and cementing Darwin's position as Australia's Asian Gateway.
The railway was officially opened by the Prime Minister, the Hon John Howard, on 17 January 2004. The inaugural 'Ghan' trip arrived in Darwin on 3 February 2004.
For more information visit the AustralAsia Railway section of the Northern Territory Government website.