This $440 million project was jointly funded by the Victorian Government and the Commonwealth’s Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development, with project oversight provided by Transport for Victoria.
It is a key element of the Victorian Government’s strategy to improve regional exports and ensure long term sustainable growth in the grain, mineral sands and agricultural sectors.
Under a JV partnership Martinus and McConnell Dowell delivered:
- Upgraded 1,055 km of the lines in the Murray Basin from broad gauge to standard gauge
- Rebuilding and upgrading to reopen for traffic the 87km closed line between Ararat and Maryborough
- Upgrading the lines in the Murray Basin from 19 to 21 tonnes per axle
- Upgrading, to standard gauge, the Ouyen to Murrayville line, including with axle loading improvements.
In particular, representing the highly specialised nature of the project, Martinus provided its team’s knowledge
and expertise to enable delivery of the scope and scale of the project, including the following:
- Upgraded 1,093 km of track
- Removing and replacing 274,000 sleepers
- Removed and rail welded over 50,000 rail joints to make continuously welded rail
- Upgraded 387 level crossings
- Improved 35 level crossings from passive to active
- Remodelled and upgraded five junctions
- Upgraded two bridges and 21 culverts
Over the project life time, the project delivery team had 38 per cent indigenous participation.
