The Development Timetable

To develop this Pegasus Rail Project from its current conceptual stage to the start of construction is likely to take up to two years. A special purpose private sector company has been established to develop this strategic infrastructure initiative.

Discussions are advanced with several suitably qualified Australian engineering companies ready to undertake this work. The project company is also advanced in preparing a suitable submission to assist with funding the next stage and has tangible support from all three levels of government – Commonwealth, State and local. Allowing for the likely construction period of around two years, this means the Pegasus Rail Project could be commissioned as early as late 2010.

A preliminary project capital cost estimate is in the range of A$300 to A$350m. It is envisaged that funding for the Pegasus Project will be in the form of a public-private partnership structure including participation by both Commonwealth and State governments.

To enlist further private sector support, the project company will soon enter into definitive discussions with potential future stakeholders. These are predominantly groups who are interested in securing a long-term involvement with the Pegasus Rail Project. Stakeholders may be either investors in the project company, future industry rail transport users and/or potential joint venture partners with a strong interest in seeing the Pegasus Rail Project established and those seeking to operate the various sectors of the Pegasus Rail Project.

Primarily a private sector initiative, the Pegasus Rail Project expects to structure and finance its business with the assistance of funding from Commonwealth and State authorities supporting customised, commercially generated long term “infrastructure financing” packages.

Opening up the fastest developing inland region in Australia to the world’s market