The 2019 Australian Infrastructure Audit outlines that infrastructure supporting further growth in national mineral and gas exports, including highways, rail and port infrastructure, plays an essential role as a catalyst for growth and development in northern Australia. Improving connections to ports will be essential to supporting these industries.
In 2019–20, the Port of Gladstone had 1,868 ships call to transport 34 major cargoes, totalling over 122.5 million tonnes. The port’s most recent 50-year plan (2012) envisages the port’s capacity will ultimately grow to 250–300 million tonnes per year. The Audit noted that the Port of Gladstone handled around 7.5% of Australia’s total bulk imports and exports (measured in gross mass tonnes) in 2012–13.
Gladstone Ports Corporation has identified a number of opportunities to invest in infrastructure to underpin growth in Central Queensland’s mining, export and agricultural sector. These opportunities relate to land and sea access infrastructure designed to support productive supply chains to the Port of Gladstone.
The Queensland Government has recognised Gladstone as a priority port that will utilise the adjacent State Development area and key supply-chain infrastructure to support economic growth in Queensland.
The proposal covers a range of potential projects including:
- channel development to increase export capacity through the port
- upgrades to the heavy-vehicle corridors that link the port to the freight task
- development of new wharf facilities for emerging markets, including infrastructure for containerised freight and renewables
- new rail infrastructure to provide direct connections from Inland Rail and the Surat Basin to the port.
Regional Development Australia Central and Western Queensland has completed the Toowoomba to Gladstone Inland Rail Economic Analysis, supporting the proposed Port of Gladstone rail connection. However, further development of potential investment options (Stage 2 of Infrastructure Australia’s Assessment Framework) is required before a business case is progressed, with the analysis considering route alignment, freight demand impacts, and community and stakeholder engagement. We note that in 2021, the Australian Government committed $10 million to investigate the viability of extending Inland Rail from Toowoomba to the Port of Gladstone.
Proponent to identify and analyse potential investment options (Stage 2 of Infrastructure Australia’s Assessment Framework).