South West community appeals heard with Talison and Government looking to reopen Greenbushes rail

Community pleas to reopen the mothballed Greenbushes to Bunbury railway line have been heard, with the State Government and Talison Lithium teaming up to explore the possibility of resurrecting the 82km line. Civic leaders from across the South West are positive about the venture, which would allow Talison to transfer haulage of the Greenbushes mine’s growing volumes of lithium concentrate from road trains on the busy one-lane South Western Highway. The Government, Talison Lithium and rail operator Arc Infrastructure on Friday confirmed they have launched a full feasibility study into the recommissioning of the mothballed line, which closed in 2000. Member for Collie-Preston Jodie Hanns said the new feasibility study — due for completion in mid-2024 — was an important step towards recommissioning the line. “Communities in my electorate, including Donnybrook, have raised the issue of increasing daily truck movements with me so I know this announcement to investigate re-opening the Greenbushes Line will be a welcome one.” The rapid and rolling expansion of Greenbushes has created road safety and congestion concerns on the one-way highway, with 135 truck journeys a day needed to support the mine’s current production of 1.5 million tonnes of concentrate. This number is expected to leap to 200 or more a day. The Government said the new study, to be finished in the second half of 2024, would include “a detailed assessment of the engineering requirements to bring the railway line back into operation”. “There will also be a substantial community impact assessment, recognising that trains have not been seen on this line for over 15 years,” it said. Member for Warren-Blackwood Jane Kelsbie said she was looking forward to working with Talison, the local Shires and the local community and assisting them through the community consultation. “I’ve had a lot of constituents coming my way really excited and asking often about the rail line and the potential for that to be reopened so today is a great day for our community,” she said. Shire of Donnybrook chief executive Benjamin Rose said while the Shire did not have a fixed position on the reactivation of the railway line yet, it was keen to be involved in the consultation process. “We’ll be very keenly following the economic and community impact assessment process that are going to be under way and we’ll be seeking to be involved and encourage involvement of our local community through any of the consultation processes that are run for the study,” he said. Balingup community organisation Balingup Rail Group — established in 2018 as a result of community concern for road safety and the amenity of South West Highway towns due to Greenbushes lithium mine’s high-frequency road trains — is in support of the study. Balingup Rail Group chair Malcolm Lee said the feasibility study was very encouraging and support the proposition of the group. “The time has come for the line to be reopened,” he said. “We should not underestimate just how encouraging this is — to get the shared commitment to spend money on looking at how this line might be restored is a very encouraging thing for people who have been disadvantaged by the multiple road movements and the non-use of the line when it’s been sitting there all along and available.” BRG is also currently conducting a small-scale feasibility study to understand the tourism opportunities and commuter service possibilities the reopening of the line might present. “We see a great future for tourism and great opportunities for towns on the line to benefit from that.”