MAJOR works are complete on the Rosewood rail line after the recent flood caused extensive damage to the South East Queensland Rail Network.

Queensland Rail has had to repair washouts, sink holes, landslips and remove debris and an extensive list of other damage across hundreds of kilometres of rail in the state’s south, caused by the flood event.

Member for Ipswich West Jim Madden said these works have been undertaken by more than 90 workers in crews from Toowoomba, Laidley, Dalby, Chinchilla and Warwick.

“It has been a joint effort to restore our Western rail lines, with major repairs required on the Toowoomba Range, after more than 30 slip sites and washouts occurred after water came through the rock face,” he said.

“Professional rock climbers were brought on board to assist in stabilising slopes, allowing for final repairs to be completed and services to resume through the areas.

“Damage was caused to the Rosewood Line at a number of locations including in Ipswich, where a large landslip blocked the section of the Western Line at Woodend at the cutting between the Burnett Street Bridge and the Waghorn Street Bridge.

“In this area, large slabs of concrete on the retaining wall on the north side of the track broke away and slid down onto the line.”

On March 9, MP Jim Madden met with the Minister for Transport and Main Roads Mark Bailey and staff from Queensland Railways.

“A creative solution was used to re-establish rail connection through the Rosewood Line,” he said.

“Queensland Rail has constructed a temporary track deviation around the landslip, which is allowing Rosewood line trains, freight and regional western services to safely resume at restricted speeds, while work on the landslip continues to be safely repaired.

“This allowed rail services to resume on the line on March 17 as this is an important transport corridor for South East services to Rosewood, regional passenger services through to Charleville, and freight services connecting from the west to the Port of Brisbane.”