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State Significant Infrastructure

Determination

Inland Rail - Narromine to Narrabri

Coonamble Shire

Current Status: Determination

Interact with the stages for their names

  1. SEARs
  2. Prepare EIS
  3. Exhibition
  4. Collate Submissions
  5. Response to Submissions
  6. Assessment
  7. Recommendation
  8. Determination

This section of the Inland Rail project consists of approximately 300 km of new single track rail line, through private and public property in a “greenfield” environment between Narromine and Narrabri.

Archive

Notice of Exhibition (2)

Early Consultation (1)

Application (1)

SEARs (2)

EIS (90)

Response to Submissions (4)

Agency Advice (13)

Amendments (87)

Additional Information (3)

Determination (6)

Approved Documents

Management Plans and Strategies (17)

Notifications (1)

Note: Only documents approved by the Department after November 2019 will be published above. Any documents approved before this time can be viewed on the Applicant's website.

Complaints

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Enforcements

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Inspections

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Note: Only enforcements and inspections undertaken by the Department from March 2020 will be shown above.

Submissions

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Showing 161 - 176 of 176 submissions
Name Withheld
Comment
,
Message
30th April 2021 DPE wrote a letter to IR saying the PIR must examine alternative routes and address how residual flood impacts can be reduced. This has not been done.

Narrabri Inland Rail Concerned Residents Group have been asking IR to assess the Narrabri Alternative Route for the last 40KM of the N2N repeatedly since 22nd March 2018. IR has refused to assess this route. Their answer at every juncture is “The Route is set and will not change.” This is the unvarying result of every “community consultation”.

The Narrabri Alternative Route, although slightly longer, is more level (does not go over Knight’s Hill), straighter (6 bends versus 20), and therefore saves time; it is faster.

The Narrabri Alternative Route has shorter bridges and has been costed to save $212.9 million in construction costs.

The Narrabri Alternative Route impacts NO dwellings for any events investigated including a 1 in 200 year flood. Each time IR has been questioned about flood impacts, their response has been longer, higher bridges, embankments, more culverts. The proposed IR route will cost untold money yet it does not meet the DPE’s Quantitative Design Limits for flood afflux.

Noise travels farther from elevated positions and in wet conditions. The IR proposed route will travel adjacent to Narrabri at a height of 9 m and we often have rain. The noise impact alone demands a consideration of the Narrabri Alternative Route which is farther from town.

The IR says it will benefit Narrabri. And NSW proposes a Special Activation Precinct for Narrabri. Neither will eventuate unless the route is changed. The proposed route offers no connectivity for Narrabri as it is 9 m above ground level. Any connection would result in more environmental risk (long bridge to get a connecting train to that height) and cost $70 -$100 million. IR will not pay for this (even if they would pay, the proposed rail is ugly, noisy and would devalue our properties). The Narrabri Alternative Route is at ground level and enables full connectivity.

Assessment of the Narrabri Alternative Route has been endorsed and supported by our state member, Roy Butler; Narrabri Shire Council (repeatedly); Narrabri Chamber of Commerce; the Narrabri Branch of the National Party; the Narrabri Inland Rail Concerned Residents Group and MANY MANY ordinary folks, like me, in Narrabri. Please make IR listen AND assess the Narrabri Alternative Route.

The Inland Rail Project is a Nation Building Project which will be viable for at least 100 years. It is therefore worth doing well and not in haste. The Narrabri Alternative Route offers a low impact and significantly lower cost option for the last 40 KM of the N2\N section and should be assessed.
I support the project if it is moved to the Narrabri alternate route which wont affect residents and costs less
Janet Peter Dampney
Support
NARRABRI , New South Wales
Message
Submission attached
Attachments
Ross Gleeson
Object
NARRABRI , New South Wales
Message
My comments are only related to the last 40 km section of the line at the Narrabri end of the Narromine to Narrabri section of Inland Rail (IR).
I believe that the Preferred Infrastructure Report (PIR) is deficient as follows:
- flooding of properties near Narrabri where properties will still receive inundation greater than the Department's allowable Quantitative Design Limits for flood afflux has not been solved.
- there will be an increase of more than 10mm in a 1 in 100 year flood for more than 13 properties in Narrabri. This is unacceptable.
- the 1 in 100 year flood modelling is not sufficient. Given recent events along the eastern side of NSW and Queensland, IR should model the additional effects in a 1 in 200 year flood and release those results.
- in the Department's letter to Inland Rail dated 30 April 2021 detailing its requirements for the PIR, the Department clearly states that alternative rail alignments must be examined, particularly in relation to Narrabri and Narromine. In relation to Narrabri this has not been properly done.
- In March 2018, local residents put forward an Alternative Route to that proposed by IR.
- Inland Rail repeatedly say that they have assessed the Alternative Route. This is simply and demonstrably untrue.
- Since March 2018 the Narrabri public has continuously put forward to IR an Alternative Route at several consultation meetings and in the local and national press. This route removes any effect whatsoever of flooding on dwellings in a 1 in 200 year flood, not just a 1 in 100 year flood but a 1 in 200 year flood.
- There has been a flood study done by the same consultant that has carried out flood studies for Narrabri Shire Council. The flood study for the Alternative Route clearly shows that the route will have no effect on any dwelling in a 1 in 200 year flood.
- The Alternative Route would be cheaper to build. It would shorten considerably the length of bridges required. An independent assessment of the two routes has concluded that the Alternative Route would be $212.9 million cheaper than the route proposed by Inland Rail. This saving does not even take into account the much cheaper connectivity to the Narrabri to Walgett railway line. The route proposed by Inland Rail intersects at about 9 metres difference in height, necessitating a complex loop arrangement. By contrast, the intersection on the Alternative Route is at the same level.
- The Alternative Route would be straighter, flatter and quicker. It would have about 6 bends whereas the proposed route has about 25 bends. The Alternative Route does not need to traverse Knight's Hill, which the proposed route has to do.
- The Alternative Route would not have any visual or noise impact on Narrabri town. The proposed route would certainly have negative noise and visual impacts on Narrabri town.
- Because the Alternative Route would be faster it will continue to save money over the course of the lines use.
- The PIR completely ignores this Alternative Route in analysing route alternatives.
- IR should be made to have an independent assessment undertaken of the Alternative Route against the Proposed Route.
National Parks Association of NSW
Object
Pyrmont , New South Wales
Message
Please find our submission attached
Attachments
Robert Webb
Object
Narromine , New South Wales
Message
A quick description of my family’s involvement in the Narromine district.
My great grandfather settled in the Webb Siding area of Narromine in the 1860’s.
During that period of time our family has had to contend with a great many changes in circumstances.
The inland rail build was not something that we had ever thought we would be concerned with as the early planning for this project did not even include the area of land where we now live.
Our early conversation with Inland rail personnel came as a real shock as we were firmly of the opinion that they had chosen the western alignment due to the fact that it had a much lower risk of deep water flooding events.
We have previously dedicated a great deal of time and effort preparing a submission for the Senate inquiry into the inland rail project.
I will attach this to our new correspondence in the hope that you will be able to view the attached photos of flooding at our former home on Dappo property in 1955.
I also hope that your investigation into the route selection process might include inquiries as to why the Tomingley to Dubbo route appears to have been almost completely ignored.
Had this route been chosen it would have greatly reduced the amount of greenfield property that needed to be acquired.
It would also have Linked up the inland rail build with a very dynamic and fast growing business centre in Dubbo city and surrounding district.
Our major concerns with the selection of the eastern alignment as follows.

Number 1
We were told from the start of our involvement with Inland rail that the section of the rail build across the Webb siding outflow of the Macquarie River would be bridged for its entirety.
This has since been changed to the point where a great deal of this outflow will be potentially held up by earth embankments.
This has the potential to increase the flood events in areas both upstream and downstream of the planned build.

Number 2
There remains a great deal of uncertainty as to where these enormous volumes of earth will be sourced.
We have not been provided with enough detail on the responsibility of construction teams to both construct and maintain haulage routes.

Number 3
We have recently learned that several grade separation projects related entirely to the inland rail build will now be designed and constructed by New South Wales roads.
This is unacceptable as it allows the inland rail project to avoid showing an additional 187 million dollars as part of its budget.

Number 4
We need much greater clarity on the proposed build across Webb’s reserve.
Will the general public have access to the river during and after the construction phase?
Can Inland rail give assurances regarding the movement of weed species during the construction phase in this reserve?
Will Inland rail have a budget component to improve the access through the reserve during and after the completion of their activities?

Number 5
We are also greatly concerned at the incredibly high turnover of staff within the inland rail organisation.
We are unsure whether this is a deliberate tactic or their workplace is so toxic that people simply choose to leave.
We feel sure that it has multiplied the fear factor among people in the green field area of the route enormously as we have no feeling of continuity with our negotiations.

Number 6
I might advise you that Narromine Shire has had an enormous amount of problems with Road maintenance over the last couple of years.
It is hard to imagine that the vast number of vehicle movements proposed by Inland rail will not add enormously to the problems now being experienced.
The $187 million budget mentioned above would be put to much greater benefit were it to be spent on maintaining and construction of our existing road network in Narromine Shire.

Number 7.
If the real intent of inland rail is to provide a benefit to Inland populations along its route. We consider that it has failed miserably.
Everald Compton who worked tirelessly to enthuse both government and inland populations about the worth of the project has recently gone on record describing the changed plans for the inland rail build as both a tragedy and huge waste of money. Surely it must be worth taking heed of his comments before embarking on this massively expensive project.

We have not covered all aspects of concern with this submission as we do not have either the information or time to write such a lengthy document.
We have attached our previous submission to the Senate inquiry which has photos of flooding events in our area.
Attachments
Name Withheld
Comment
ARMIDALE , New South Wales
Message
We are writing to urge you to alter the proposed inland rail line to avoid passing through the Pilliga Forest. The Pilliga is the last remaining intact temperate woodland in NSW. It is priceless, and yet it has already been compromised by coal seam gas mines.

It appears from maps that the proposed route has been selected so that it passes through Narrabri and yet I gather no stop has been planned for Narrabri. This seems suspicious because the presence of Santos mining is the only reason we can think of to go through Narrabri. The Pilliga can easily be by passed by heading due north rather than swinging east. It seems the route also conflicts with the claim that the rail line will be the most direct route from Melbourne to Brisbane. The clear right turn through the Pilliga contradicts this claim.

A rail line through the Pilliga, and related construction with heavy machinery, would threaten already endangered species like koala, black-striped wallaby and Rufous Bettong and alter the fragile hydrology of the forest. It appears that the EIS has not adequately addressed this issue. Many other animals will be negatively affected by the loss of hollows.

We are also aware that Aboriginal heritage sites will be negatively affected.

Development should be assessed on the grounds of the least environmental damage. This seems to have been ignored. Please alter the route to avoid the Pilliga.

Patsy Asch & Barbara Finch
157 Barney Street,
Armidale NSW 2350
[email protected]
Drinda Luckensmeyer
Object
NARRABRI , New South Wales
Message
30th April 2021 DPE wrote a letter to IR saying the PIR must examine alternative routes and address how residual flood impacts can be reduced. This has not been done.

Narrabri Inland Rail Concerned Residents Group have been asking IR to assess the Narrabri Alternative Route for the last 40KM of the N2N repeatedly since 22nd March 2018. IR has refused to assess this route. Their answer at every juncture is “The Route is set and will not change.” This is the unvarying result of every “community consultation”.

The Narrabri Alternative Route, although slightly longer, is more level (does not go over Knight’s Hill), straighter (6 bends versus 20), and therefore saves time; it is faster.

The Narrabri Alternative Route has shorter bridges and has been costed to save $212.9 million in construction costs.

The Narrabri Alternative Route impacts NO dwellings for any events investigated including a 1 in 200 year flood. Each time IR has been questioned about flood impacts, their response has been longer, higher bridges, embankments, more culverts. The proposed IR route will cost untold money yet it does not meet the DPE’s Quantitative Design Limits for flood afflux.

Noise travels farther from elevated positions and in wet conditions. The IR proposed route will travel adjacent to Narrabri at a height of 9 m and we often have rain. The noise impact alone demands a consideration of the Narrabri Alternative Route which is farther from town.

The IR says it will benefit Narrabri. And NSW proposes a Special Activation Precinct for Narrabri. Neither will eventuate unless the route is changed. The proposed route offers no connectivity for Narrabri as it is 9 m above ground level. Any connection would result in more environmental risk (long bridge to get a connecting train to that height) and cost $70 -$100 million. IR will not pay for this (even if they would pay, the proposed rail is ugly, noisy and would devalue our properties). The Narrabri Alternative Route is at ground level and enables full connectivity.

Assessment of the Narrabri Alternative Route has been endorsed and supported by our state member, Roy Butler; Narrabri Shire Council (repeatedly); Narrabri Chamber of Commerce; the Narrabri Branch of the National Party; the Narrabri Inland Rail Concerned Residents Group and MANY MANY ordinary folks, like me, in Narrabri. Please make IR listen AND assess the Narrabri Alternative Route.

The Inland Rail Project is a Nation Building Project which will be viable for at least 100 years. It is therefore worth doing well and not in haste. The Narrabri Alternative Route offers a low impact and significantly lower cost option for the last 40 KM of the N2N section and should be assessed.
Name Withheld
Support
NARRABRI , New South Wales
Message
The Inland Rail has been a long time coming. I fully support the project, especially the advantages for the town that it will bring.
Moree has already seen the huge benefits of Inland Rail it is now Narrabri's time to get some benefits.
I get that some people will not like the route but there have been many rail experts work on the route and it has now been looked at in great detail and the route is the best.
The project needs to be built there will be many businesses big and small that will benefit.
Carol Hobday
Object
Narrabri , New South Wales
Message
We object to infrastructure taking over Boundary Street Narrabri
Attachments
Jennifer Gale
Object
,
Message
Narrabri Council have serious concerns about the proposed route. Of specific concern is that the proposed route does not provide optimum outcome for the Narrabri Shire. I have written to various politicians who have answered that the route is set. Now we are given reason to think the route is not set and we have opportunity to oppose the route through Narrabri. Please Please consider the alternative route for the Inland rail. Consider the local professionals, Civil Engineers, Registered Surveyors re the Alternate route. Those who have known the area for many years, as did the previous generation Professionals. We plead with you to listen to the local professionals and residents of the Narrabri Town and surrounding areas that will be hugely affected by the proposed route. We implore you to read the attachments for reasons re using the alternative route for the Inland Rail. We support the project but NOT the route through the town of Narrabri and surrounding areas.
Attachments
Steven Broussos
Support
GREENACRE , New South Wales
Message
Since it's only 30 km or so away, now would be the perfect opportunity to extend the rail line from Dubbo to Narromine
Bill Foster
Object
,
Message
Please see attachment.
Attachments
Sam Bragg
Object
,
Message
I object to the current alignment of the inland rail project for the following reasons.
A raised rail line will have multiple impacts on wildlife and ecosystems in the forest and is an unacceptable route where they could easily place it next to the Kamilaroi Highway.
Will significantly alter the surface hydrology in the forest, further endangering the endangered community, 'Pilliga Outwash Ephemeral Wetlands in the Brigalow Belt South Bioregion'. This community has a very restricted distribution and impacts on this community have not been addressed in the EIS. The additional work undertaken on addressing flooding impacts has not addressed this issue.
The endangered Koala, Black-striped Wallaby and the vulnerable Rufous Bettong are very susceptible to strike by vehicles and having movement patterns in the forest disrupted raising the extinction threat for these species. Mitigating actions, bridges, culverts and canopy bridges have not properly addressed these issues.
The loss of hollows is significant (14,503 to 41,103 hollow-bearing trees) and has not been offset through current policy. This is a significant residual impact on hollow bearing species in a forest where hollow numbers are already reduced by historic forestry.

Sam Bragg
Warren Birkinshaw
Object
ARCADIA , New South Wales
Message
A raised rail line will have multiple impacts on wildlife and ecosystems in the forest and is an unacceptable route where they could easily place it next to the Kamilaroi Highway.
Will significantly alter the surface hydrology in the forest, further endangering the endangered community, 'Pilliga Outwash Ephemeral Wetlands in the Brigalow Belt South Bioregion'. This community has a very restricted distribution and impacts on this community have not been addressed in the EIS. The additional work undertaken on addressing flooding impacts has not addressed this issue.
The endangered Koala, Black-striped Wallaby and the vulnerable Rufous Bettong are very susceptible to strike by vehicles and having movement patterns in the forest disrupted raising the extinction threat for these species. Mitigating actions, bridges, culverts and canopy bridges have not properly addressed these issues.
The loss of hollows is significant (14,503 to 41,103 hollow-bearing trees) and has not been offset through current policy. This is a significant residual impact on hollow bearing species in a forest where hollow numbers are already reduced by historic forestry.
Narrabri Shire Council
Support
Parramatta , New South Wales
Message
Attachments
Dan Lanzini
Object
COONABARABRAN , New South Wales
Message
Attachments

Pagination

Project Details

Application Number
SSI-9487
Assessment Type
State Significant Infrastructure
Development Type
Rail transport facilities
Local Government Areas
Coonamble Shire
Decision
Approved
Determination Date
Decider
Minister

Contact Planner

Name
Mick Fallon