On track to a better future

Bowen Rail Company has appointed Rockhampton’s THEE Group as the new track and civil maintenance contractor for the billion-dollar Carmichael Rail Network in central Queensland. Bowen Rail Company General Manager Brendan Lane said THEE Group was chosen following an exhaustive, months-long process, as the scope of works to be delivered is so fundamental to the safety and performance of the railway and the coal trains that run on it. “THEE Group’s a local Indigenous-owned track and civil maintenance contractor with great capability across both plant and people and a growing reputation in Queensland and New South Wales as a partner to industry and a provider of very high-quality services,” Mr Lane said. “Finding regional suppliers with complementary skillsets can feel like a challenge at times but THEE Group goes to show the kind of expertise that is on offer. “This is a major contract worth more than $10 million over its five-year term and will see THEE workers based in Rockhampton and Bowen perform both preventative and corrective maintenance along the 200 kilometres of railway that connects Bravus Mining and Resources’ Carmichael mine near Clermont to Aurizon’s Newlands Rail System south of Collinsville. “The Carmichael Rail Network is a world-class asset and with the support of the THEE Group team we have the skills and knowledge to keep it in world-class condition for the next five years.” THEE Group Queensland Delivery Manager, Rail Sector, Doug James said the business was excited to bring its expertise to the Carmichael Rail Network and continue to grow its regional footprint.  “We’re a 100 per cent Indigenous-owned business providing multidisciplined rail services from our Gracemere office near Rockhampton as well as our other offices in southeast Queensland and the Hunter region in New South Wales,” Mr James said. “This contract will see us establish a core team based in Bowen that will be backed by our Rockhampton workforce for when we need to flex up to 30 or 40 staff working on the network for strategic packages of work.” Mr Lane said supporting local businesses and suppliers had been part of Bowen Rail Company’s DNA since the business was established in Bowen in 2020. “As we’ve grown from a handful of people to more than 200 direct employees, we’ve seen how local spend and local employment can make a positive impact right across the community,” he said. “Those economic and social benefits might be most obvious as we all gather at the Grand View in our hi vis after a long week, but they reach beyond hospitality to everything from the local tyre shop and the hardware store who support contractors like THEE Group deliver these core services for us. “It’s something we’re really proud of and we look forward to continuing to provide opportunities that help make Bowen and the Whitsundays an even better and more prosperous place to live.” ENDS Download PDF

Bowen Tennis Association has scored big with a Bowen Rail Company (BRC) grant to support the development of the region’s next generation of tennis stars. The 95-year-old club was one of four recent grant recipients 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 Tennis Association President Walter Morris said Bowen Rail Company’s support was significant to seeing the club deliver on its commitment to develop local talent and grow the sport. “We’ve used the grant to create a dedicated equipment storage area for our coaches, which allows us to better support our members and programs,” Mr Morris said. “With more than 100 members, half of whom are juniors, having proper coaching facilities is important, especially as we expand to include junior pickleball coaching and other opportunities for young players. “We’re also fortunate to have a talented and hardworking committee of volunteers who make every dollar count and, thanks to their efforts, we were able to use the $1,500 from Bowen Rail Company to create both an equipment storage and a servery/counter area.” Bowen Rail Company General Manager Brendan Lane said the Community Partnership Program was one of the ways the company added to the vibrancy and prosperity of Bowen, on top of the economic value of the local jobs and business opportunities its rail operations created. “As our business has grown from a handful of people in 2020 to more than 200 direct employees today, so too has our connection to the community,” Mr Lane said. “Many of our team members now have kids in local schools or are members of local clubs and organisations like Bowen Tennis, and being able to use the Community Partnership Program to give back to and support the things that make Bowen such a special place is something we’re really proud to do.” Other 2024 recipients of the Bowen Rail Company Community Partnership Program include: Bowen Delta Rural Fire Brigade, whose grant funded a cell tower repeater to improve mobile service reliability Bowen Rugby Union, awarded funding to upgrade fridges in their canteen, and Girudala Community Co-operative Society, which used its grant to replace a defibrillator. Bowen Rail Company’s Community Partnership Program is awarded bi-annually in May and November. To learn more about the Community Partnership Program or to apply, visit www.bowenrail.com.au/sustainability/community. ENDS Download PDF

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