Leighton Holdings

John Holland was part of the specially established ADrail Joint Venture company, which designed and constructed one of the biggest rail infrastructure projects ever undertaken in Australia — the Alice Springs to Darwin rail project. The project involved John Holland in the design, construction and operation of over 1400km of track in some of the most inhospitable terrain in the country.

John Holland worked with Halliburton Kellog Brown & Root/Barclay Mowlem/MacMahon as part of ADrail. The company also holds equity in the Asia Pacific Transport Consortium which will own and operate the Alice to Darwin rail link for 50 years.

The railway was designed and constructed to the standards appropriate to a modern standard-gauge mainline railway in Australia. It is suitable for operation of rail services and allows for interchange of rolling stock between the new railway and the existing railway and other parts of the national railway network.

Reduced design standards apply in the section between Katherine and Adelaide River, where the route follows in part the geometric alignment of the old North Australia Railway.

The Design and Construct Joint Venture was responsible for all phases of the works, including the design, earthworks, trackworks and infrastructure, including signalling and communications. The D&C JV was an integrated joint venture with members from each of the parties incorporated into the management and performance of the work.

• 5 million cubic metres eartworks
• 1,500 culverts
• 100 bridges
• 2.9 million tonnes ballast
• 2 million sleepers
• 8 million sleeper fastenings
• 145,00 tonnes of rail

The Alice Springs to Darwin rail link was awarded the highest accolade for construction achievement in Australia, the 2004 Australian Construction Achievement Award.