DARLING Downs farmers opposed to the proposed Inland Rail route across Condamine River floodplain say an ongoing Senate inquiry must be allowed to run its full course before any final decisions are made.
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The call follows an announcement by the all-party Senate committee inquiring into the management of the project by the Australian Rail Track Corporation and the Commonwealth government that it had extended its deadline for reporting until February 21.
Millmerran Rail Group chairman Wes Judd said the Commonwealth should not pre-empt the findings of the Senate inquiry. "The Senate committee is undertaking a comprehensive investigation into the handling of the inland rail project and they have zeroed in on the flawed Condamine River floodplain route," Mr Judd said.
"The government should await the Senate committee report before progressing the environmental impact statement for the NSW border to Gowrie section and before finalising decisions on the route."
Condamine floodplain farmers say the flood risk and the level of disruption is too great. They want the route to either go by the more western, so-called 'forestry route' through Cecil Plains, or along the existing rail route to near Warwick.
Fencing concerns
Meanwhile, farmers say they are concerned that fencing alongside the rail route would further exacerbate flood problems.
Brett Kelly, Erindale, Pampas, said fences would make flood problems worse, because they would trap and funnel flood debris into the Inland Rail's proposed bridge and culvert system, regardless of what type of fencing was chosen.
"But the real trouble is we're still to see any detail," Mr Kelly said.
"There's a very good reason why there are virtually no fences on the floodplain."
"ARTC may say it is consulting with us, but we're still not getting any answers.
A statement issued by ARTC confirmed the majority of Inland Rail corridors would be fenced.
"We appreciate that landowners may have some concerns about how the rail corridor will be fenced and what, if any, impact this may have on their properties," the statement reads.
"We will consult individual landowners during detailed design to address their fencing needs in relation to flood management, gate widths and accessibility for stock crossings, machinery and vehicles."
The statement says structures such as fencing have been considered as part of the hydraulic modelling and incorporated into the Inland Rail reference design.
"Our flood modelling has been developed, tested and reviewed by leading International and Australian engineering and hydrology consultants including AECOM, Aureon, Arup Group, SMEC and Water Solutions Pty Ltd," the statement says.
"The independent international panel of experts for flood studies in Queensland will additionally review the reference design to ensure national guidelines and industry best practice are followed."
