William Scott
Bowen Rail Company has appointed a new track and civil maintenance contractor for its $1 billion Carmichael Rail Network in central Queensland.
Bowen Rail Company General Manager, Brendan Lane, said that Rockhampton’s THEE Group was chosen as contractor, following a months-long process.
“The scope of works to be delivered is so fundamental to the safety and performance of the railway and the coal trains that run on it,” Mr Lane said.
“THEE Group’s a local Indigenous-owned track and civil maintenance contractor with great capability across both plant and people and a growing reputation in Queensland and New South Wales as a partner to industry and a provider of very high-quality services.”
Mr Lane said that finding regional suppliers with complementary skillsets can feel like a challenge at times but THEE Group goes to show the kind of expertise that is on offer.
“This is a major contract worth more than $10 million over its five-year term and will see THEE workers based in Rockhampton and Bowen perform both preventative and corrective maintenance along the 200km of railway that connects Bravus Mining and Resources’ Carmichael mine near Clermont to Aurizon’s Newlands Rail System south of Collinsville.
“The Carmichael Rail Network is a world-class asset and with the support of the THEE Group team we have the skills and knowledge to keep it in world-class condition for the next five years.”
THEE Group Queensland Delivery Manager Rail Sector, Doug James, said that the business was excited to bring its expertise to the Carmichael Rail Network and continue to grow its regional footprint.
“We’re a 100 per cent Indigenous-owned business providing multidisciplined rail services from our Gracemere office near Rockhampton as well as our other offices in southeast Queensland and the Hunter region in New South Wales,” Mr James said.
“This contract will see us establish a core team based in Bowen that will be backed by our Rockhampton workforce for when we need to flex up to 30 or 40 staff working on the network for strategic packages of work.”
Mr Lane said supporting local businesses and suppliers had been part of Bowen Rail Company’s DNA since the business was established in Bowen in 2020.
“As we’ve grown from a handful of people to more than 200 direct employees, we’ve seen how local spend and local employment can make a positive impact right across the community.
“Those economic and social benefits might be most obvious as we all gather at the Grand View in our hi vis after a long week, but they reach beyond hospitality to everything from the local tyre shop and the hardware store who support contractors like THEE Group deliver these core services for us.
“It’s something we’re really proud of and we look forward to continuing to provide opportunities that help make Bowen and the Whitsundays an even better and more prosperous place to live.”
