The duplication of the Port Botany Freight Line aims to improve the efficiency and capacity of the rail connection to the port and reduce road congestion around Botany and the adjacent Kingsford Smith Airport. It also aims to support the intermodal terminals at Minto, Yennora, Chullora, Enfield, and Moorebank (once completed).
The project will involve the duplication of rail track and bridges across the 2.9 kilometre freight line between Mascot and Botany along with construction of a 1.7 kilometre passing loop between Cabramatta and Warwick Farm.
Key Dates
| Sep 2020 | RFT open for Port Botany Rail Duplication |
| Dec 2020 | RFT open for Cabramatta Loop Project |
| Jul 2021 | Contract Award |
| Jan 2022 | Expected Construction Commencement |
| Feb 2024 | Construction Completion |
Funding contributions
| Federal Government |
Procurement
| Procuring Agency: | Australian Rail Track Corporation |
| Shortlist: | For Port Botany Rail Duplication, CPB Contractors, Laing O’Rourke, and John Holland were shortlisted. For Cabramatta Loop Project, Downer EDI, Fulton Hogan, and John Holland were shortlisted. |
| Successful Tenderer: | John Holland for Port Botany Rail Duplication, and Fulton Hogan for Cabramatta Loop |
PROJECT HISTORY
| May 2018 | In the 2018-19 Federal Budget, the Government allocated $400 million between FY2018-19 and FY2024-25 towards the project. |
| Aug 2019 | The NSW Governmental released the Environmental Impact Statement for the Cabramatta Loop Project for exhibition, with feedback due by 26 September 2019. |
| Oct 2019 | The EIS for the Port Botany Rail Duplication was released, with the exhibition and public feedback period ending on 13 November 2019. |
| Jan 2020 | The shortlisted contractors were announced for both the Port Botany Rail Duplication and the Cabramatta Loop Project. |
| Feb 2020 | Infrastructure Australia endorsed the business case for the Port Botany Rail Line Duplication project and added the project to the Infrastructure Priority List as a Priority Project. Business case approval was also provided to the Cabramatta Loop Project. |
| Mar 2020 | ARTC submitted its response to issues raised in submissions received as part of public exhibition process, per request of Secretary of DPIE pursuant to Section 5.17(6) of EPA Act. |
| Jul 2020 | Planning assessments for both Port Botany Rail Duplication and Cabramatta Loop Project were fast-tracked under the NSW Government's Planning System Acceleration Program, with a decision to be made by 14 August 2020. |
| Aug 2020 | NSW Government approved both the Botany Rail Duplication and Cabramatta Loop Project as State Significant Infrastructure. |
| Sep 2020 | Tenders were requested from the shortlisted bidders for the design and construction of the Port Botany Rail Duplication project. |
| Dec 2020 | Tenders were requested from the shortlisted bidders for design and construction of the Cabramatta Loop. |
| Jul 2021 | The Australian Rail Track Corporation awarded the design and construct contract for Port Botany Rail Duplication to John Holland, and Cabbramatta Rail Loop to Fulton Hogan. Major construction works on both projects were expected to commence in the first quarter of 2022. |
| Feb 2024 | Major works to duplicate the Botany Rail line and develop the new Cabramatta Loop were completed and both lines made operational. |
Estimated Total Cost
(2018)
Sector
Rail
Procurement approach
Traditional Procurement |
Location
New South Wales |
National |
Resources
Media releases
2018/05/072020/01/13
2020/07/18
2020/08/12
2020/09/03
2020/12/09
2021/07/30
2024/02/16
