Mount Isa Line Remains Closed While Flood Waters Recede

(MENAFNEditorial) Flooding in Queensland's north west has affected The Great Northern Railway which links the Mount Isa mining town to the Townsville Port. It also services The Inlander, the rail's passenger service. Floodwaters have washed out sections of the track between Julia Creek and Mount Isa and Queensland Rail is using a combination of crews and remote cameras to ascertain the extent of damage caused to trackwork. According to CEO Nick Easy, the situation was first detected by Queensland Rail on Monday March 5 with a body of water flowing rapidly over the Mount Isa line, about 10 kilometres west of Julia Creek, The North West Star reported last week. Upon further inspection it was confirmed that the fast-flowing body of water was about 500 metres wide.

Mr Easy said that Inlander services were cancelled in both directions, and while passengers would typically be offered replacement road coach services, flooding on the Flinders Highway meant that this route was also effectively cut. Queensland Rail could not guarantee transport for customers to their respective destinations.

Neither were freight services able to operate on the Mount Isa line. The line runs for over 1000km and carries minerals concentrates, fertiliser, acid, fuel, refined metals​, cattle and general freight. Some of the world's largest deposits of copper, lead, zinc, silver and phosphate rock can be found along the Mount Isa line. The line is the critical link from the North West minerals province to the Port of Townsville where the majority of bulk products are exported.

How long the line will remain closed depends on how quickly the floodwaters recede and the extent of repairs needed to make the line operational again.

Transport companies and their customers look forward to roads and rails reopening, so freight operations can recommence. Consumers are advised that there may be a back log of shipment orders, and this may impact on how quickly their goods can be picked up and delivered. This should be kept in mind when obtaining a freight quote .

The flooding followed days of heavy downpour, where 600mm of rain fell across catchment areas in three consecutive days. Homes were flooded, major roads were cut off by flooding, schools closed and a disaster situation was declared on Friday across all of North Queensland. In the towns of Ingham, Innisfail and Halifax and their surrounds, 225 homes had water up to their floorboards.

Conditions eased slightly on Friday, which allowed the Australian Defence Force to airlift supplies to eight teachers and 76 students in Year 6 from The Willows State School who were on school camp when roads between Cairns and Townsville were flooded. They remained stranded at the Echo Creek Adventure Camp for almost a week and were finally taken to Tully airport yesterday, where they boarded planes bound for Townsville Airport.

The first planes took off around noon, and the last children had arrived at Townsville. Local famers had helped authorities find back roads to gain access to the stranded children, according to Police State Disaster Coordinator Deputy Commissioner Bob Gee.

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