A review of responses from the environmental impact statement (EIS) by QR revealed a strong recommendation for the rail provider to find a new location.

QR said it would move the Wiggins Island coal terminal rail maintenance yard from Beecher to the Gladstone State Development Area (GSDA).

Acting Premier Anna Bligh said the new proposal, which would undergo another EIS, would allow trains travelling to the Wiggins Island Coal Terminal to go through the industry precinct of the GSDA.

The new proposal includes:

• Moving the proposed rail maintenance yard area from immediately north of the Calliope River to the northern section of the Gladstone State Development Area;
• Increasing the number of tracks from two to four between the new proposed yard and the Mt Miller and Wiggins Island Coal Terminal area;
• Keeping the coal unloading and rail balloon loop at Golding Point or moving it next to the existing railway at Mt Miller and investigating the option to construct a coal conveyor back to Golding Point. A decision on either of these is expected by late April; and
• Building new rail connections between the Moura and North Coast rail lines and the proposed rail yards, allowing trains to enter the GSDA from the north.

“This rail line will ultimately link up with the Surat Basin Railway (formerly Southern Missing Link) and is an important link in the coal supply chain in Queensland, so we want to get it right,” Bligh said.

QR group general manager of network access Mike Carter said the preliminary environmental study had also indicated the new location to be a good option that would not impact detrimentally on the surrounding area.

QR is encouraging residents to once again view the proposed works to be located in the northern GSDA region and provide feedback during the consultation period.

Public consultation, an additional EIS process and planning approval for the proposed works will get underway shortly.