EVALUATION COMPLETE
The Newcastle to Sydney High Speed Rail (HSR) proposal intends to establish an efficient and reliable transport solution between Newcastle and Sydney, one of Australia’s busiest regional corridors. The proposal provides an alternative to existing transport options to support the additional 9.2 million people expected in the corridor by 2061.
Strategic Fit
A HSR network on the East Coast of Australia is a long-term commitment for the Australian Government. The Newcastle to Sydney corridor is the first stage of a national high speed rail network. The long-term vision is to connect Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne through over 1,800 kilometres of dedicated high speed rail tracks.
The business case presents a well-evidenced case for change in the Newcastle to Sydney corridor, addressing connectivity challenges, rapid population growth, and housing pressures. It highlights opportunities for productivity, tourism, and jobs in a region with significant economic potential, and aligns with national net zero targets through more sustainable transport solutions.
The business case provides strong evidence that the proposal will enhance quality of life and deliver significant social and economic benefits across the Newcastle to Sydney corridor. Key outcomes include improved access to housing, education, and health services, contributing to better wellbeing and community outcomes.
Delivering HSR will have significant environmental impacts within the Newcastle to Sydney corridor, with the proposed alignment intersecting several protected areas and heritage sites. While tunnelling is expected to mitigate many of these effects, further work is required to improve cost certainty and identify strategies to reduce emissions.
Deliverability
The proponent has completed appropriate planning and implementation analysis, with further design development, approvals, and cost accuracy proposed for the Development Phase.
Infrastructure Australia supports the Newcastle to Sydney section of the National High Speed Rail project progressing to the Development Phase. In parallel, we recommend that further work and consultation progress on the entire East-Coast National HSR project, building on the analysis that was developed alongside the business case.
We recommend the existing business case, including the economic appraisal, is updated to capture the outputs of the Development Phase and provided to the Australian Government, including Infrastructure Australia, to inform a final investment decision for delivery of the Newcastle to Sydney section. This should include a more detailed analysis of the change in greenhouse gas emissions and the cost of environmental approvals arising from the Newcastle to Sydney HSR project.
