EVALUATION COMPLETE
South East Queensland faces growing freight demands that will put pressure on existing intermodal terminals including Acacia Ridge, Bromelton and the Brisbane Multimodal Terminal (operating out of the Port of Brisbane). In addition to capacity constraints, there is also a need to develop an intermodal terminal capable of meeting the operating requirements of Inland Rail and with sufficient capacity to handle forecast freight throughput. While the delivery of Inland Rail into Queensland remains subject to further planning, ensuring South East Queensland has the capacity and capability to interface with future national freight operating requirements aligns with national priorities around mode shift and supply chain efficiency.
Addressing intermodal terminal capacity constraints supports the objectives of the Infrastructure Policy Statement and the National Freight and Supply Chain Strategy, which highlights the importance of developing integrated, well-located intermodal precincts to support freight productivity and connectivity. The proposal also aligns with the South East Queensland Regional Transport Plan, identifying broader intermodal freight opportunities resulting from Inland Rail’s proposed link to the existing Sydney to Brisbane Coastal Line at Kagaru.
PROPOSAL DESCRIPTION
The proposal seeks to identify options to address capacity restrictions across the South East Queensland intermodal terminal network to meet forecast freight demand and accommodate future Inland Rail operating requirements, including the use of double stacked, 1800-metre-long trains. Ebenezer has been identified as the preferred location for a future interstate terminal interface in Queensland as this is the proposed endpoint for Inland Rail double stacked services. Inland Rail also includes 39 km of new track to support single stacked operations from the proposed Ebenezer intermodal terminal to Kagaru.
INVESTMENT RECOMMENDATION
The Australian Government should note this proposal as a potential future investment opportunity within the 5-10 year pipeline. The Australian Government has committed $10 million to develop a business case to determine a preferred option for an intermodal terminal in South East Queensland to support future delivery of Inland Rail.
OPPORTUNITIES AND OUTCOMES
This proposal has the potential to:
- Support a more efficient and resilient freight network – increasing intermodal capacity in South East Queensland would allow the region to better manage growing containerised freight volumes and interface effectively with future Inland Rail services.
- Enable modal shift – greater intermodal terminal capacity would allow a higher proportion of interstate freight to move by rail rather than road.
- Improve safety and environmental outcomes – shifting freight away from road would support reduced crash risks, emissions and noise impacts on communities.
- Strengthen national supply chain performance – a modern, scalable terminal with integrated warehousing would enhance operational efficiency, support industry competitiveness, and improve the resilience of freight movements.
- Provide flexibility for growth – a terminal capable of accommodating longer trains and future network interoperability upgrades would provide freight capacity to support South East Queensland’s population and economic growth.
NEXT STEPS
The Australian and Queensland Governments are jointly updating a business case for the proposal, with this work being led by National Intermodal Corporation in collaboration with Economic Development Queensland.