Track Ownership

Who owns Australia’s rail track network?

Australia’s rail track network comprises the:

• interstate standard gauge network:
• intra-state regional lines and rural branch lines; and
• metropolitan public transport and freight lines.

Ownership of this rail track infrastructure is a mix of government and private sector companies.

Learn more
> State – by – State overview
(Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government)

How much track is there in Australia’s rail network and what gauges are they?  

There is around 42,430 km of track in Australia made up of the following:

There is around 270 km of light rail (tram) track included in the above for Melbourne’s extensive tram network and in the relatively short point – to – point tram routes in Adelaide and Sydney.

What is the role of the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC)?

ARTC has responsibility for the management of over 10,000 route kilometres of interstate standard gauge track comprising:

• ARTC owned and leased standard gauge rail corridors (still government and privately owned) track in SA, Victoria, NSW and WA (see below);
• the NSW Hunter Valley coal rail network; and
• key NSW regional rail links associated with interstate rail operations.

Over these corridors ARTC is responsible for:

• selling access to train operators;
• developing new business;
• capital investment in the corridors;
• management of the network; and
• management of infrastructure maintenance.

Although ARTC does not own or lease the rail corridor between Kalgoorlie, Perth and the Port of Kwinana, there is a wholesale agreement in place with the WA government giving ARTC the rights to sell access to this rail corridor.

What funds does ARTC invest?

In addition to ARTC’s own capital investment programs, it receives investment funding from the Australian government’s AusLink program.

How is Commonwealth funding provided for road and rail capital investment programs?

The Commonwealth government’s AusLink program was implemented in July 2004 as a single, flexible program for Australia’s future land transport investment. It replaced the 1991 funding agreement between the Commonwealth and the States for road and rail transport infrastructure, which were considered separately.

Key features of AusLink provide for:

• a defined single National Network of important road and rail infrastructure links and their intermodal connections;
• a National Land Transport Plan designed to integrate planning and investment on the National Network; and
• earmarked funding for local and regional transport improvements.

Link
> Australia’s Land Transport System – AusLink

What funding allocations have been made under the AusLink program since its introduction in July 2004?

AusLink funding allocations for road and rail transport in the five years to 2008/09 are around $15 billion with a further $22.3 billion set aside for the five years to 2013/14.

Does AusLink provide funding for urban passenger rail infrastructure and operations?

No. The Commonwealth government has historically held the view that public transport is a State responsibility claiming that:

• State governments are best placed to deal with the metropolitan and local complexities of public transport systems; and
• public transport systems primarily serve and deliver localised passenger movements and localised benefits. 

The Commonwealth government’s role has focussed on interstate connectivity and trade and commerce between the States and with other nations.

However, there are signs that these views are being challenged through the Senate Inquiry into the Investment of Commonwealth and State Funds in Public Passenger Transport Infrastructure and Services.

Read more
> Senate Inquiry into the Investment of Commonwealth and State Funds in Public Passenger Transport Infrastructure and Services

Is there separate track for passenger and freight trains?

Rail infrastructure has traditionally been built for both passenger and freight transport. However, over time, these functions have (and need to) become increasingly specialised and spatially separated.

On some rail corridors, passenger and freight trains share the same tracks even in some segments of the urban rail networks. Failure to expand the capacity of rail corridors, has meant that growth in the transport of people and freight has led to inadequate capacity and congestion in rail traffic.

The Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) has commenced construction of a dedicated Southern Sydney Freight Line (due for completion January 2010) and a dedicated freight line north out of Sydney has been short-listed as a priority project by Infrastructure Australia in the Building Australia Program.