“The project will provide a huge economic injection to one of south-east Queensland’s fastest-growing regions, helping to attract investment to the area, create business opportunities, and encourage growth along the corridor, with new train stations set to emerge as hubs of development,” Ms Trad stated.
“It will mean better, more efficient options for commuters travelling to and from work in and around the Moreton Bay Region, better access for people travelling to health, education and employment services, and more capacity on our roads for journeys that can’t be taken by train.”
Future job opportunities in Queensland
The Queensland government believes that once the project has been completed there will be wider benefits to the community regarding employment.
Ms Trad noted that the track will link with the main North Coast Line at Petrie, allowing Moreton residents to explore job opportunities across the broader Brisbane area.
“It’s great to see this project really coming to life – today, we’ve seen tracks being laid, which will use more than 44,000 sleepers and more than 100,000 tonnes of supporting ballast across the 14-kilometre stretch,” she commented.
Alan Sutherland, Moreton Bay regional council mayor, said the track is the region’s biggest public infrastructure initiative of the last generation.
He said the scheme would benefit the 50,000 people expected to be living in the region by 2035, adding that it is a “once-in-a-lifetime investment”.
“This is an historic milestone; with 15 per cent of the Moreton Bay Rail project’s tracks already laid, there is no denying this rail line isn’t just coming, it’s already here,” Mayor Sutherland continued.
The Australian government, the Queensland government and Moreton Bay Regional Council are jointly funding the scheme, with the state government contributing $300 million.
By Leanne Macnamara, Public Affairs Coordinator
