QR National has completed its $A 1.1bn ($US 1.1bn) Goonyella - Abbot Point expansion project by opening a 69km line to connect the Goonyella and Newlands rail networks in the northern Bowen Basin coalfield. The 20-month project was completed one month early.

 

The project will increase the capacity of the Newlands system by up to 50 million tonnes a year, while completion of other schemes will add another 20 million tonnes annually.

 

"This means QR National's Central Queensland coal network will have the capacity to move more than 300 million tonnes of coal per annum by 2015," says Mr John Prescott, chairman of QR National.