On track to a better future

Coal from Bravus Mining and Resources’ Carmichael mine near Clermont in central Queensland is making its way to port on a rail line where cutting edge freight technologies are rivalled by the sophistication of fauna-friendly crossings. Bravus Mining and Resources Chief Operating Officer Mick Crowe said the 200-kilometre Carmichael Rail Network included hundreds of design features to support local biodiversity on a line also setting new standards for freight transport. “The design means not only does our coal get to port using safe and efficient rail operations, but it also allows local fauna to thrive,” Mr Crowe said. “Coal is hauled by Bowen Rail Company trains on the Carmichael Rail Network through an area of central Queensland that is home to about 250 species including more than 180 native bird species, as well as mammals, snakes, lizards and frogs. “The rail line’s special features include fencing and land bridges to protect koalas and underground tunnels that allow the Ornamental snake to cross safely beneath the tracks.” Bowen Rail Company General Manager Brendan Lane said the greenfield railway was designed using detailed independent scientific field work in partnership with EcoLogical Australia that tracked activities through 622 fauna and flora surveys.  The surveys covered a linear distance of 749 kilometres, or about the same as the straight-line distance between Brisbane and Sydney. “In total there are 389 fauna-friendly crossings along the Carmichael Rail Network,” Mr Lane said. “There are 187 reptile crossing pipes with surrounding landscaping built every 100 metres within the Ornamental snake habitat. “Speed limits, weed management and reporting of pest sightings also support local fauna management.” Scientists continue to monitor movements of fauna using the network’s special features. The active approach to conservation has created an expanding knowledge base about biodiversity in the remote region. ENDS Download PDF

Bowen Rail Company’s tech developed in partnership with Brisbane-based software developer, Polymathian, to better manage rail traffic in Central Queensland will be showcased as an example of excellence in innovation at the 2024 Australasian Rail Industry Awards. RACE Live is a unique data-driven freight rail management program that uses real-time intelligence from across the Carmichael Rail Network and Aurizon’s Newlands Rail System to achieve safety and productivity benefits when railing coal from the Carmichael mine to port for export. BRC General Manager Brendan Lane said RACE Live’s shortlisting as a finalist in the Freight Rail Excellence category at the rail industry’s national awards reflected the company’s commitment to continuous innovation and improvement. Mr Lane said RACE Live incorporated data from dozens of points in the supply chain, including other rail network managers, coal loading facilities, port operators, and planned maintenance works. This data can include information such as the agreed train schedule, the live location of trains, and live loading and unloading information. “Our aim since establishing our business in Bowen in North Queensland in 2020 has been to do things a little differently to advance the safety, environmental, and economic standards of the rail industry,” Mr Lane said. “We’ve focused on creating a culture that has a positive local impact and reinforces our ASPIRE values of accountability, safety, people, integrity, respect, and excellence. “And we’ve invested in the best available technology like our next generation rail fleet. RACE Live is another step on this path to create clever solutions by harnessing the skills and knowledge available right here in Queensland. “RACE Live’s real-time visibility means our schedulers can anticipate potential disruptions or changes in the supply chain before they occur, allowing them  to work with train crews and other internal and external stakeholders to make proactive decisions to mitigate risks, adjust train schedules, or allocate resources accordingly.” “The benefit is best demonstrated by the industry-leading 98 per cent service reliability we achieved on more than 1,600 train services in our last financial year, all of which means lower costs per tonne hauled for our customer, Bravus Mining and Resources.” “We started work on RACE Live in 2020 and have continued to enhance it as the business has grown so to see it completed and performing is great reward for the team, and to be recognised in the Australasian Rail Industry Awards is the icing on the cake.” The Australasian Rail Industry Awards will be presented in Sydney on 7 August. ENDS Download PDF

Bowen’s Cyclones netballers have swapped their bibs for aprons thanks to a Bowen Rail Company community grant to refurbish their canteen kitchen and keep their club on track. Bowen Netball Association was one of four grant recipients in the latest round of Bowen Rail Company’s Community Partnership Program, which supports local not-for-profit organisations and community groups with the purchase of small assets that can make a big difference. Bowen Netball Secretary Michelle Bosson said modern canteen facilities were vital to the club’s 250 local netballers and its army of volunteers – both in keeping them fed and watered and on the court. “We don't make much money from registrations alone and it’s the income from the canteen that helps us fund things for our club,” Ms Bosson said. “Unfortunately, our canteen kitchen needed some significant repairs and when we organised the quotes for the work, we found the job was beyond our budget. As luck would have it, we saw the Bowen Rail Company grant, applied, and were fortunate to be successful. “We’re enormously grateful to have a company in town like BRC that supports their local community and we’re reminded of their generosity every time the players grab a snack or a drink between games.” Bowen Rail Company Health, Safety and Community Manager Marty Trask said the Community Partnership Program was just one of the ways the business gave back to its community which had strongly supported the company since it set up shop in 2020. “We’re proud to be based in Bowen and with an office in Rockhampton and we always seek to back our local communities and the things that are important to our 180 workers,” he said. “Our Community Partnership Program is one of the ways we add to the vibrancy of Bowen, on top of the economic value of the jobs we support and the opportunities we create for businesses here. “The grants are up to $2000 and are in place to fund equipment or items that make a difference to community or not-for-profit groups. “For example, we’ve been able to help Bowen Netball refurbish their kitchen, which not only allows them to feed hungry players and spectators but helps to get their canteen up and running again.”   Mr Trask urged local community groups to apply for the annual program, which is awarded six monthly, with applications for the November round now open. “If your local group has a great community initiative, we encourage you to jump onto our website and put in an application,” he said. “We’re now in our third year of operations moving Queensland coal from pit to port to meet growing international demand. That means we’ll be able to keep providing jobs, business opportunities, and social investment for north and central Queensland for decades to come.” For more information about Bowen Rail Company’s Community Partnership Program, or to apply, head to www.bowenrail.com.au/sustainability/community/ Download PDF

There were plenty of thrills and a couple of spills as Bowen Rail Company and Collinsville residents celebrated the official opening of the town’s eagerly anticipated $300,000 ‘pump’ bike track. Located in Darcy Munro Park, the Collinsville pump track is designed for bike and scooter riders and skateboarders to make their way over a thrilling series of rollers, jumps, and berms by generating momentum through up and down body movements, instead of pedalling or pushing. Bowen Rail Company fully-funded the $300,000 cost for the first stage of the circuit as part of a 2019 Infrastructure Access Agreement signed with Whitsunday Regional Council for the construction of the Carmichael Rail Network. The Carmichael Rail Network entered operation in 2022 and connects the Carmichael mine near Clermont to Aurizon’s Newlands System about 70 kilometres south of Collinsville. Bowen Rail Company General Manager Brendan Lane said it was terrific to see Collinsville’s young and young at heart embrace their new community asset with fearless enthusiasm. “We’re deeply grateful for the incredible support we’ve received from Collinsville and the greater Whitsunday region as we’ve built our railway and grown from a startup to a thriving rail operator,” Mr Lane said. “We wanted the construction of the Carmichael Rail Network to leave a positive legacy in Collinsville beyond the significant economic benefits of employing locals and awarding contracts to local businesses, or having rail workers spend their wage in local hotels, stores, and pubs. “As we have grown, so too has our connection to our local region. We now have kids who go to school here, we have elderly parents who live here, and all of that drives the desire our people have to make sure we’re helping to build the community that we want to live in. “Better playground equipment and new and more diverse activities for older kids were two things that resonated loudly in the 2021 Collinsville Masterplan, and the Pump Track is a perfect fit. “So while this $300,000 investment in stage one of the pump track is a considerable one for our business, we’re proud to have worked in partnership with Council to deliver a lasting community asset and it’s terrific to see the kids get out there and put it to such good use already.” Whitsunday Regional Council Mayor Ry Collins said the pump track was an exemplar of Council working with local businesses to provide investments that add to community vibrancy and sense of belonging. “As a Council we spend a lot of our time upgrading existing assets and legacy assets,” Mr Collins said. “So when we’ve got the opportunity to put something new into the community it’s really valued, and that’s shown by the turnout we’ve had for the official opening of stage one of Collinsville’s pump track. “What Bowen Rail Company has done here is incredibly important and we thank them so much for being good corporate citizens for our community – not just in terms of the jobs and economic benefits they create, but for investing in bringing people together, which is at the heart of our regional towns.” ENDS DOWNLOAD PDF