THE promise of faster freight movements for key southern grain producers is on track after the $9 million The Rock to Boree Creek line upgrade began this week.
On Monday NSW Minister for Roads and Freight Duncan Gay and Minister for Primary Industries Niall Blair joined Wagga Wagga MP Daryl Maguire at the project launch - the latest in the government's $246m spend on regional grain rail line improvements.
"By upgrading grain lines, we are creating more reliable travel times, cutting costs for freight operators and farmers and are continuing to maximise the value of the NSW grain harvest," Mr Gay said.
The re-sleepering project extends from the Emerald loading point at The Rock to Boree Creek and is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
The project will see 30,160 new steel sleepers and fastenings installed on the main line, while 8,000 tonnes of rail ballast will be unloaded, and 56 kilometres of track will be resurfaced.
Mr Blair said a productive crop season could see in excess of 100,000 tonnes of grain transported on the line.
"This state produces 36 per cent of Australia's wheat, worth $2.5 billion to our economy each year, that's why we need to make sure that we support getting produce from paddock to port efficiently," Mr Blair said.
"More than 50km of line is being upgraded - with farmers in areas such as Wagga Wagga, Narrandera, Oaklands and Coleambally set to benefit from more efficient freight movements."
Mr Maguire said work to extend the existing grain line by 750 metres at Ardlethan had also been completed.
New over-rail loading equipment will be installed by GrainCorp and Emerald Grain in the coming months.
