A master plan that is set to coordinate the development of freight infrastructure in north west Queensland over the next 50 years is set for release by the Mount Isa to Townsville Economic Development Zone (MITEZ).

 

The Northern and North West Queensland Supply Chain Working Group has been tasked with developing the ambitious plan which will aim to further open the world’s largest deposits of copper, lead, zinc silver and phosphate rock to domestic and international markets.

 

The need for the development of a master plan has become more apparent as exploration has found significant deposits of coal in the state’s Galilee Basin since 2010.

 

The project to further develop MITEZ’s freight infrastructure was initiated by Infrastructure Australia in 2010, and has since supported the group’s development of a master plan.

 

The announcement comes as the Queensland Government has released the findings of a preliminary viability study into the proposed Townsville Eastern Access Rail Corridor (TEARC) project, which found that the proposed $300 million upgrade will be profitable and deliver extensive benefits for the state’s north west.