Re: [QLD/NT/Vic/NSW] Melbourne-Darwin Railway (longish)

["James C" <idonthavemail@noemail.org>]

I just added 2 more states on the heading:-)

Cheers
James



John McCandless <johnmc@topend.com.au> wrote in message
397c0444.0@news.topend.com.au">news:397c0444.0@news.topend.com.au...
> Taken from "The North West Star", Monday 24th July, 2000
>
> ------------------------------------------------
>
> COUNCIL PLEDGES CASH FOR RAIL LINK
>
> By Crispin Till
>
> Work on a pre-feasibility study on the Cloncurry to Tennant Creek section
of
> the Melbourne to Darwin rail link will be under way by the end of the
year.
>
> This announcement followed a forum last week which received unanimous
> support from North-West Queensland mining companies, Local Government
> organisations and chambers of commerce for the $350,000 study.
>
> Mount Isa City Council (MICC) pledged $25,000 towards the study.
>
> Mount Isa Mayor Ron McCulloch said it was time for people and groups to
put
> their money where their mouth was when it came to the rail link.
>
> "It is the future of this region," Cr McCulloch said.
>
> "The processes at the moment are allowing people to see the whole
operation,
> the benefits are now a lot clearer and there is potential there for the
> whole of Australia"
>
> Cr  McCulloch said there needed to be a commitment from councils as well
as
> private enterprise to put their shoulders to the wheel and to raise the
> money needed for the study.
>
> Australian Transport and Energy Corridor (ATEC) chairman Everald Compton
> said members at the forum decided the pre-feasibility study in to the
> Cloncurry to Tennant Creek section of the line should proceed and it
should
> be funded locally.
>
> Mr Compton said he was confident it could raise $175,000 for half the
study
> with the rest of the money coming from Federal Government funding.
>
> "The study is going to happen, the people at the forum wanted it to start
at
> the earliest possible date," Mr Compton said.
>
> The pre-feasibility study will determine the financial viability of the
> line, the freight using the line and whether there were any land rights or
> environmental problems which could stop construction.
>
> "The first stage from Melbourne to Brisbane has acted as a catalyst to get
> things happening," Mr Compton said.
>
> Mr Compton said local groups accepted the rail link alone would not be a
> boost to local economies.
>
> "Councils have to commit to encourage new businesses to open in their
> areas," Mr Compton said.
>
> "Mount Isa is the best-placed city to capitalise on the line, they have a
> great skills base."
>
> ------------------------------------------
>
> One can assume then, that ATEC would be using 3rd party access or similar
on
> the section Tennant Ck to Darwin.  It would make sense to use someone
elses'
> railway line, rather than build it yourself...
>
> And why *Cloncurry* to Tennant Ck?   We've got at least 4 mines within
about
> 100k of us, and no doubt more would appear with a standard gauge line to
> Darwin available.  There would be no doubt that the mines would be a
driving
> force behind this proposal.  Whether that is good or bad would be open to
> conjecture.
>
> QR hasn't got much to worry about now, but things could get interesting if
> this thing gets off the ground....
>
>
> --
> John McCandless
> Never play leapfrog with a unicorn...
> Cloncurry Qld Au
> http://www.geocities.com/johnmccandlessqld
>
>