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North Galilee Basin Rail Project

Status

Approved with conditions

Jobs

2,017 (construction) + 369 (operational)

Investment

$2.2 billion

Project overview*

EIS status	Approved with conditions
Description	An approximately 310 kilometre standard gauge, greenfield rail line in Central Queensland, connecting the northern Galilee Basin to the Port of Abbot Point.
Proponent	Carmichael Rail Network Pty Ltd a wholly owned subsidiary of Adani Australia, part of the Adani Group.
Location/s	The southern end of the rail line would connect with rail infrastructure proposed as part of the Carmichael Coal Mine and Rail Project in the vicinity of Mistake Creek (west of Moranbah) and would run north to the Port of Abbot Point (near Bowen). Map
Local government/s	Isaac Regional Council Whitsunday Regional Council
Investment	$2.2 billion
Key features	A 100 metre-wide rail corridor (to be refined from a one kilometre-wide investigation corridor) containing rail infrastructure scalable to 100 million tonnes per annum capacity, including: passing loops road and rolling stock maintenance facilities water supply pipeline track and signalling maintenance facilities staff accommodation and training facilities.
Jobs	Up to 2017 (construction) Up to 369 (operational)

* Project information supplied by proponent and subject to change.

Environmental impact statement (EIS) process

Date	Activity
11 August 2017	The Coordinator-General fixed a new lapse date for the Coordinator-General's evaluation report for the project to 14 August 2019.
14 October 2015	Commonwealth Minister for the Environment's approval of 'controlled action' subject to conditions following re-consideration of project under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
23 September 2014	Commonwealth Minister for the Environment's approval of 'controlled action' subject to conditions.
12 August 2014	Coordinator-General's Report for the North Galilee Basin Rail project ( 2.4 MB) released. Updated proponent commitment register (28 July 2014) ( 599 KB) NGBR Project realignment - three-rail scenario analysis ( 3.2 MB)
22 April 2014 to 19 May 2014	Additional information to EIS assessed by other government agencies.**
12 March 2014	Additional information to EIS requested by Coordinator-General.
16 December 2013 to 11 February 2014	EIS public consultation EIS - Summary ( 688 KB) North Galilee Basin Rail Project Complete EIS
23 August 2013	Terms of reference ( 567 KB) released.
13 July 2013 to 12 August 2013	Draft terms of reference for EIS public consultation.
27 June 2013	Project deemed a 'controlled action' by Commonwealth Minister for the Environment.
14 June 2013	Gazettal of 'coordinated project' declaration ( 79 KB)
31 May 2013	Final application, including initial advice statement ( 1.7 MB), submitted.
30 May 2013	Project referred to Commonwealth Minister for the Environment.

** The electronic versions of these documents have been supplied by the proponent, following approval by the Coordinator-General.

Read more about the EIS process.

Environmental impact statement documents

Open all

Front Cover ( 219 KB)
Table of contents ( 46 KB)
Volume 1 - Additional information to the EIS ( 10.34 MB)

Volume 2 - Appendix A - Submissions register ( 739 KB)
Volume 2 - Appendix B - Revised project description ( 10.24 MB)
Volume 2 - Appendix C - NGBR Project Realignment report ( 64.54 MB)
Volume 2 - Appendix D - Revised MNES ( 49.38 MB)
Volume 2 - Appendix E - Revised offsets ( 2.27 MB)
Volume 2 - Appendix F - Revised terms of reference cross-reference ( 503 KB)
Volume 2 - Appendix G - Revised commitments ( 368 KB)
Volume 2 - Appendix H - Revised environmental management plan framework ( 1.61 MB)
Volume 2 - Appendix I - Revised public consultation ( 9.00 MB)
Volume 2 - Appendix J - Revised legislation and approvals ( 753 KB)

Front page ( 230 KB)
Executive summary (1.8 MB)
Table of contents (45 KB)
Terms and abbreviations ( 121 KB)
Chapter 1 – Introduction ( 2.8 MB)
1Chapter 2 - Project description ( 6.0 MB)
Chapter 3 - Land use and tenure ( 18.9 MB)
Chapter 4 - Scenic amenity and lighting ( 2.9 MB)
Chapter 5 - Topography, geology, soils and land contamination ( 21.2 MB)
Chapter 6 - Nature conservation ( 8.8 MB)
Chapter 7 – matters of national environmental significance ( 29.8 MB)
Chapter 08 - Coastal environment ( 1.7 MB)
Chapter 09 - Water resources ( 9.5 MB)
Chapter 10 - Air quality ( 2.7 MB)
Chapter 11 - Greenhouse gas ( 926 KB)
Chapter 12 - Noise and vibration ( 2.4 MB)
Chapter 13 - Waste ( 1.0 MB)
Chapter 14 - Transport ( 9.2 MB)
Chapter 15 - Cultural heritage ( 3.5 MB)
Chapter 16 - Social and economic impacts ( 5.2 MB)
Chapter 17 - Climate and natural hazards ( 2.3 MB)
Chapter 18 - Hazard, risk, health and safety ( 947 KB)
Chapter 19 - Cumulative impacts ( 1.6 MB)
Chapter 20 - Legislation and approvals ( 1.4 MB)
Chapter 21 - Environmental management ( 831 KB)
Chapter 22 - Conclusion and recommendations ( 737 KB)
Chapter 23 References ( 865 KB)

Appendix A - Terms of reference cross-reference ( 755 KB)
Appendix B - Public consultation ( 7.5 MB)
Appendix C - Land use and tenure ( 28.2 MB)
Appendix D - Scenic amenity and lighting ( 22.1 MB)
Appendix E - Topography, geology, soils and contaminated land ( 65 MB)
Appendix F - Nature conservation Part 1 ( 37.8 MB)
Appendix F - Nature conservation Part 2 ( 57.3 MB)
Appendix G - Final guidelines ( 409 KB)
Appendix H1 - Water resources ( 36.1 MB)
Appendix H2 - Hydrology and hydraulics ( 67.9 KB)
Appendix H3 - Construction water supply strategy ( 59.5 MB)
Appendix H4 - Flood mapping Part 1 ( 39.7 MB)
Appendix H4 - Flood mapping Part 2 ( 49.9 MB)
Appendix H4 - Flood mapping Part 3 ( 39 MB)
Appendix I - Air quality ( 7.2 MB)
Appendix J - Noise and vibration ( 42.8 MB)
Appendix K - Transport ( 27.5 MB)
Appendix L - Cultural heritage ( 8 MB)
Appendix M - Social baseline ( 5.4 MB)
Appendix N - Economics ( 2.4 MB)
Appendix O - Offsets ( 2.2 MB)
Appendix P - Project EMP ( 2.6 MB)
Appendix Q - EIS team ( 271 KB)
Appendix R - Land acquisition protocol ( 318 KB)
Appendix S - Commitments ( 489 KB)
Appendix T - Concept design drawings ( 1.4 MB)

Further information

For more information, visit the North Galilee Basin Rail Project web page.

Media releases

Major Galilee Basin rail line receives state approval (14 August 2014)
EIS released for North Galilee rail project (14 Dec 2013)

Last updated: 25 November 2025