Yeerabiddy Siding
Austral Construction delivered the major civil and rail enabling works required to expand BHP’s rail capacity at Yeerabiddy, combining large-scale hard-rock earthworks with complex construction alongside an operational heavy-haul rail network.
Austral widened the existing rail formation and delivered approximately 117,000m³ of excavation through hard rock using surface miners and rock breakers. The team also conditioned and placed approximately 85,000m³ of material to construct the new rail siding, light vehicle track and associated infrastructure.
Austral constructed the new LV track and level crossing, extended four existing culverts beneath the operational rail alignment and installed two new culverts. The team also installed eight kilometres of fibre optic signalling cable, with level crossing and asphalting works carefully programmed around scheduled rail shutdowns.
The broader scope included construction of a new driver landing pad, refuge spur, brake change-out pad and pedestrian walkways, together with fencing, solar lighting and signage.
Through extensive self-perform capability, specialist plant and disciplined coordination around live rail operations, Austral successfully delivered a diverse civil works package that enabled BHP to increase rail capacity and support future ore production from Mining Area C.
The Project
