As the inaugural conference began last Wednesday Inland Rail CEO Richard Wankmuller announced the first track for the Melbourne to Brisbane line would be laid this year with ballast from Forbes and Parkes quarries.

“Jobs are being secured as we now have ballast and capping, concrete sleepers from Mittagong and steel track from Whyalla,” Mr Wankmuller said.

Calvani Crushing, Forbes, has been awarded a $4.8 million contract to supply more than 150,000 tonnes of ballast and 75,000t of capping, while Ausrock Quarries, Parkes, has gained a $2.1 million contract to supply more than 45,000t of ballast and 45,000t of capping to be delivered in the next 12 to 18 months for the line between Parkes and Narromine.

In all, about 3.6 million tonnes of ballast and 3.4Mt of capping will be needed for the 1700 kilometre length of the Inland Rail.

Also announced was the preferred construction contractor for the Parkes/Narromine corridor, INLink, a joint venture between BMD Constructions and Fulton Hogan, to start construction last this year.

Mr Wankmuller said Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) would be scoping out suppliers in coming months.

“INLink will be putting together their environmental management plans and applying for their Environmental Protection Licence to lay the foundations for major construction,” he said.

“More contracts will be awarded by ARTC in the coming months in regional NSW with communities set to share in the benefits.”

Some 6534t of Whyalla steel rail has already been delivered and the first 200,000 concrete sleepers have arrived in Parkes from Mittagong.