High Productivity Freight Networks
Header description
Australia’s freight networks are the backbone of domestic supply chains, enabling the efficient movement of goods across vast distances and supporting the nation’s economic growth and resilience.
Summary: Infrastructure response and investment priorities
Australia’s national freight networks are facing growing pressures from rising freight volumes, evolving supply chains and the need for greater interoperability. These challenges are compounded by ageing infrastructure and the need to integrate new technologies to improve safety, resilience and efficiency. Targeted investment over the next 10 years should focus on system-level coordination to enhance the capacity, resilience and connectivity of freight corridors and intermodal terminals, while also driving decarbonisation and supporting a shift from road to rail to improve the efficiency and sustainability of Australia’s supply chains.
Table 7 identifies the highest priority proposals for High Productivity Freight Networks to provide targeted solutions to address identified infrastructure constraints.
| 10-year national priorities | Location | Investment timing |
|---|---|---|
| Increasing productivity of rail freight networks | ||
| Enhancing rail network connectivity and productivity through the National Network for Interoperability | ||
| National interoperability of digital signalling and train control | WA, SA, VIC, NSW, QLD, NT | 2-4 year pipeline |
| New South Wales Inland Rail interface improvements | NSW | 2-4 year pipeline |
| Increasing intermodal capacity and connectivity | ||
| Melbourne intermodal terminal capacity | VIC | 5-10 year pipeline |
| Melbourne Outer Metropolitan Ring / E6 transport corridor | VIC | 5-10 year pipeline |
| Northern Territory freight rail and logistics capacity improvements | NT | Investment-ready for Planning |
| South East Queensland intermodal terminal capacity | QLD | 5-10 year pipeline |
| Western Sydney Freight Line and Intermodal Terminal | NSW | 2-4 year pipeline |
| Improving productivity and reliability of road freight routes | ||
| Bruce Highway upgrade | QLD | 2-4 year pipeline |
| Burnie to Hobart freight corridor improvement | TAS | 2-4 year pipeline |
| Enabling infrastructure for zero-emissions and high productivity freight vehicles in Victoria | VIC | 2-4 year pipeline |
| Hume Highway (Sheahan Bridge) upgrade | NSW | 2-4 year pipeline |
| Road access improvements for remote Western Australia communities | WA | Investment-ready for Planning |
| South Australia High Productivity Freight Vehicle Network – Future stages | SA | 2-4 year pipeline |
| Strengthening resilience and safety on key road freight corridors | ||
| Great Northern Highway improvements – Broome to Kununurra | WA | Investment-ready for Planning |
| Northern Territory road safety and connectivity improvements | NT | 2-4 year pipeline |
| South Coast Highway improvements – Albany to Esperance | WA | 2-4 year pipeline |