The Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) is restoring critical rail infrastructure following severe weather impacts while maintaining alternative freight pathways to keep Australia's national supply chain moving.
The Melbourne to Perth rail corridor has returned to service, re-establishing a vital east-west freight link between the eastern states and Western Australia.
The Sydney to Perth corridor via Broken Hill has sustained more significant impacts. Inspections have confirmed severe damage to rail infrastructure, including structural damage to a rail bridge caused by flash flooding.
Due to the complexity of the bridge remediation works required, the corridor is expected to remain closed for several weeks, with current engineering assessments indicating a timeframe of approximately two to four weeks.
ARTC has engaged specialist engineers to support the repair of the bridge and is reviewing options to safely expedite these works.
Elsewhere along the corridor, recovery works are progressing, with crews, contractors and specialised equipment mobilised at multiple locations to restore the line to service as quickly and safely as possible.
ARTC has also been working closely with freight operators and terminal operators across the network to ensure sufficient rail capacity is available during the disruption. Alternative pathways via Melbourne and Adelaide have headroom to support redirected freight volumes, helping maintain the movement of essential freight and essential goods across the national supply chain.
The Adelaide to Darwin rail corridor remains open, maintaining freight connectivity to and from the Northern Territory.
ARTC remains in direct communication with customers and will continue providing updates as recovery works progress.
Clinton Crump, Group Executive Operations, Australian Rail Track Corporation
"Australia's interstate rail network is designed with multiple pathways, and there is capacity available through Melbourne and Adelaide to absorb redirected freight during this disruption.
We're working closely with freight operators and terminal partners to utilise that headroom so essential freight and goods continue moving across the country.
At the same time, crews and specialist engineers are focused on safely restoring the Broken Hill corridor following significant flood damage."
