Australia's plans for high-speed rail back on track after decades

165km line could be first part of 1,700km project to connect its three largest cities

- jonathan Pearlman

For decades, Australia has toyed with the idea of building a high-speed rail (HSR) line in its densely populated east coast, but the proposal has been repeatedly shelved due to fears about the construction cost and the scale of the project.

Now, the ruling Labor Party appears to have finally set the nation on track to undertake the ambitious project, beginning with a 165km line in the state of New South Wales between Sydney and Newcastle that could be ready by 2037.

The project has been backed by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, a former transport minister who has presented high-speed rail as a way to grow the economy while helping to cut carbon emissions.

The network will eventually span 1,700km and connect Australia's three largest cities - Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane - and the capital Canberra as part of a nation-changing project that could help to address work and housing challenges and transform the economy.

The federal government has committed A$500 million (S$442 million) to plan the Sydney-Newcastle line, and to start buying and protecting a corridor for the rail tracks, with trains set to travel at more than 250kmh.

Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Catherine King announced on Aug 26 that work has begun on drilling 27 boreholes to investigate options for tunnels and construction of the line.

An A$79 million plan that will outline the placement of stations, cost, construction timelines and potential for further connections to Melbourne and Brisbane is due to be completed by the end of 2024.