Main opposition is because ports existed at both ends and sea freight is much cheaper. Rail only comes into its own if you have a lot to transport and no ports, and the infrastructure cost is huge..
Whinge of the day thread...
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MB, Lang Hancock involved in that decision that would have benefitted both the coal and iron ore companies and Australia as a whole? Adding to this moving cattle, tropical fruit, the list is endless.
And the taxpayer wouldn't have to cough up for the whole project.
And, the wharfies wouldn't have been waving their banners for their cut.
https://economics.org.au/2011/02/lang-hancocks-pilbara-queensland-railway-proposal/
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IMO the worst road in WA is the Perth to Newman road.
There used to be a railroad covering most of this distance (believe almost to Fortum or Peak Hill.
Think Charles Court had a hand in its removal.
Anyway what sort of Government gets rid of rail and doesn't upgrade it?????
Maybe the sort that had Bell Brothers shares?
There used to be a railroad covering most of this distance (believe almost to Fortum or Peak Hill.
Think Charles Court had a hand in its removal.
Anyway what sort of Government gets rid of rail and doesn't upgrade it?????
Maybe the sort that had Bell Brothers shares?
Can't get rail in the wheatbelt for love or money. The rail is already there, just needs upgrading.
Maybe the truck industry has something to do with that.
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https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2022-05-03/wa-rail-upgrade-after-record-grain-harvest/101033166Can't get rail in the wheatbelt for love or money. The rail is already there, just needs upgrading.
Maybe the truck industry has something to do with that.
I remember it -it closed about 1978 from memory - went as far north as Meekatharra. At the time it just lost money, washed out regularly and carried little freight. The area was not as populated as now. Cue - a ghost town, Meekatharra ?200, Mt Magnet ?250, Sandstone 30 Wiluna 30. I think all States have closed rail lines once quite uneconomic, especially those built to go to the front gates of politicians farms.
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He did want exclusive mineral rights over 300,000 sq km of Australia in return - cheap for investors at the price (it included the iron ore fields). But of course he found a way - now there are 2000 km of rail in the Pilbara going to the Pilbara coast (despite the government refusing him permission to nuke Port Hedland to develop its harbor as he and Court wanted). And Australia certainly benefitted.
However despite iron ore keeping Australia going, we have not done so well with steel smelting, hardly keeping anything running, and more smelters would probably not have helped - we just cannot compete and the pattern has been to close them.
https://www.afr.com/companies/does-australias-steel-industry-have-a-future-20150619-ghs0r7
e.g. "Port Kembla is our biggest smelter. Today BlueScope employs 3500 people at Port Kembla, a far cry from the glory days in the 1980s, when the four different train stations on the massive site took 22,000 workers to the steel works every day. If the remaining No. 5 blast furnace was mothballed, up to 2000 direct jobs would be lost and thousands more contractors who depend on the site would be out of work". "BlueScope and Arrium are struggling. Shares in the two companies have plummeted 82 per cent and 43 per cent, respectively, in the past year". This is despite the coking coal coming from nearby Wollongong. World steel production in 2022 was 1,834 million tonnes. Australia produced less than half a million tonnes of that and imports significant steel.
Other than for strategic purposes (why I suggest the Great Central Highway needs upgrading and a few others), roads and rail are a response to clear economic potential, and cost a lot to maintain. And we don't compete with China etc on steel (but we make a killing just shipping out iron ore as Lang found). Horses for courses.
Sadly yes - it is cheaper....Can't get rail in the wheatbelt for love or money. The rail is already there, just needs upgrading.
Maybe the truck industry has something to do with that.
Moneybox
Philip & Sandra Box
Trucks can pick up from the source and drop at the destination. With rail in most cases you still need trucks to pickup and drop the freight, not once but at each end of the journey, add the train to that and you have three times the handling. Rail can't compete on short haul freight.
https://www.railpage.com.au/f-p1993402.htmI remember it -it closed about 1978 from memory - went as far north as Meekatharra. At the time it just lost money, washed out regularly and carried little freight. The area was not as populated as now. Cue - a ghost town, Meekatharra ?200, Mt Magnet ?250, Sandstone 30 Wiluna 30. I think all States have closed rail lines once quite uneconomic, especially those built to go to the front gates of politicians farms.
Seems to have never got going. However the line to Meekatharra and then east to Wiluna ran for a long time although it carried little freight, and there was also a line to Sandstone.
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It is not always true that Aboriginese are deeply attached to the areas in which they were raised,
In Hall's Creek, in the East Kimberly, it was ruled that full-strength beer could not be consumed in public, but only on licenced premises. Immediately, there was a mass exodus to Broome, Derby and Kununurra where full-strength beer was believed to be freely available. The immigrants lived in the parks and under the trees it being the dry season.
In Hall's Creek, ten businesses closed for lack of custom. Two super markets closed. A fully operational post office became a sub-agency operating for restricted hours on another business premises.
It seemed that access to full-strength beer was more important than loyalty to traditional areas, although it is possible that the exodus was also due to defiance to paternalistic control.
The situation is complex. In and around Hall's Creek there are many Aborigines who work, or have worked as station hands, station managers, caravan park managers, musicians, helicopter pilots, grader drivers, shop assistants and council workers. Some own their own businesses. These ,however, have tended to be individual efforts.There appears to be a general resistance to "alien" culture forced upon them from outside. In some instances, Aboriginese who make the change are ostracised by other community members and referred to as "Uncle Toms".
One thing is certain. Change forced on a community from above doesn't work. Change must be conceived and developed at grass roots level by the people themselves.
To get back to gold mining, elders of an Aboriginal community to the south of Hall's Creek were asked why they did not exploit the alluvial gold that proliferated in their area. They replied that it was not necessary for them to do because sooner or later some white man would pay big money to mine the area and the community would benefit without having to lift a finger.
A couple of years later the Ducan Highway was busy, with road trains carrying transportable accommodation, machinery and stores heralding a massive operation in the Ringer's Soak area. Undoubtedly the community will benefit but with a little bit of enterprise
they could have transformed their community into a thriving entity with numerous educational and employment opportunities.
While ever they get help for doing nothing therre will be no incentive for change.
In Hall's Creek, in the East Kimberly, it was ruled that full-strength beer could not be consumed in public, but only on licenced premises. Immediately, there was a mass exodus to Broome, Derby and Kununurra where full-strength beer was believed to be freely available. The immigrants lived in the parks and under the trees it being the dry season.
In Hall's Creek, ten businesses closed for lack of custom. Two super markets closed. A fully operational post office became a sub-agency operating for restricted hours on another business premises.
It seemed that access to full-strength beer was more important than loyalty to traditional areas, although it is possible that the exodus was also due to defiance to paternalistic control.
The situation is complex. In and around Hall's Creek there are many Aborigines who work, or have worked as station hands, station managers, caravan park managers, musicians, helicopter pilots, grader drivers, shop assistants and council workers. Some own their own businesses. These ,however, have tended to be individual efforts.There appears to be a general resistance to "alien" culture forced upon them from outside. In some instances, Aboriginese who make the change are ostracised by other community members and referred to as "Uncle Toms".
One thing is certain. Change forced on a community from above doesn't work. Change must be conceived and developed at grass roots level by the people themselves.
To get back to gold mining, elders of an Aboriginal community to the south of Hall's Creek were asked why they did not exploit the alluvial gold that proliferated in their area. They replied that it was not necessary for them to do because sooner or later some white man would pay big money to mine the area and the community would benefit without having to lift a finger.
A couple of years later the Ducan Highway was busy, with road trains carrying transportable accommodation, machinery and stores heralding a massive operation in the Ringer's Soak area. Undoubtedly the community will benefit but with a little bit of enterprise
they could have transformed their community into a thriving entity with numerous educational and employment opportunities.
While ever they get help for doing nothing therre will be no incentive for change.
Yep, along with numerous other rail links throughout the goldfields.
We were at Cashmans years ago and a pastoralist took me to the remains of the Peak Hill railroad, very little remains.
Don’t know much of its history.
My whinge was once we had a railroad 80% of the way to Newman and now when you travel that road it is nothing to have to pulll offf the road a dozen times in order to clear over width loads.
The whole highway is a disgrace due to excessive trucking..
Dave's Office
Have Detector Will Travel
I went to see my doctor last week, been seeing him for a few years now, I think he's a good doctor and I trust him emphatically. I've got two whinges about my visit, firstly, it took me 5 weeks to get in to see him and secondly, for the first time ever I wasn't bulk-billed, just got a bill for $34. Miss Kay reckons I shouldn't complain about spending money on my health but it's still a shock 
I think you probably were bulk billed mate and that is the gap. I get charged 83.00 and get about $50 back, but I have been seeing him for 22 years and no complaints so happy to pay . Mackka
No need for me to go to the quack anymore. Ever since i got covid i've been filling up with mucus. I have to hoik it up every day to get through the night.
I know what the end will be, i'll drown in my own snot!!!
whinge.
I know what the end will be, i'll drown in my own snot!!!
whinge.
Thanks for that Evie. Mackka
You're welcome Macca. Saves a few dollars (thinking of Dave).
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My whinge.No need for me to go to the quack anymore. Ever since i got covid i've been filling up with mucus. I have to hoik it up every day to get through the night.
I know what the end will be, i'll drown in my own snot!!!
whinge.
Could have done without picturing that just after lunch. Thanks EB
