Tenders released for High Speed Rail Newcastle to Sydney development

Monica Gameng   |   March 9, 2026
High Speed Rail train (cr: Australian Government)

Just weeks after the beginning of the Development Phase for the High Speed Rail Newcastle to Sydney, the Australian Government has released seven major tenders for this nation-shaping transport infrastructure project.

The Development Phase will ensure Line 1 – from Newcastle to Sydney – is construction ready while also securing time-critical environmental and planning approvals and refining estimates on project costs, timelines and benefits highlighted in the business case.

The tender packages cover key technical, environmental, engineering and project delivery.

These tenders will help advance technical design as well as support environmental approvals and corridor protection activities, ensuring that these are in place when the government makes an investment decision once the Development Phase is complete.

The new tender packages released include:

  • Technical and Architectural Adviser
  • Business, Operations and Maintenance Adviser
  • Commercial and Transactions Adviser
  • Delivery Partner
  • Strategic Property Acquisition Adviser
  • Environmental Planning and Assessment Adviser
  • Demand Forecasting Adviser

More information on the tenders is available through the Australian Government’s AusTender platform.

“These seven tender processes show this Government is getting on with delivering High Speed Rail from Newcastle to Sydney.

“The expert teams we are seeking to appoint will help us form a detailed plan to deliver High Speed Rail, supporting thousands of highly skilled jobs across engineering and project management in the process. Australian workers and businesses will be front and centre of delivering this project.

“Taking these roles to tender show real and measurable progress. Every contract awarded brings us one step closer to delivering faster more reliable rail between Newcastle and Sydney,” Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King said.

oF2d53AD64HrProposed alignment of Line 1 (source: High Speed Rail Authority)

By progressing the detailed planning stage and strengthening industry partnerships, the Federal Government is showcasing its commitment to delivering High Speed Rail between Newcastle and Sydney.

Around $659.6 million has been allocated to progress the two-year Development Phase.

High Speed Rail Line 1, once up and running, will enable travelling from Newcastle to Sydney in just one hour, and around 30 minutes from the Central Coast to Newcastle or Sydney. Stations have been proposed for central Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, the Central Coast, central Sydney, Parramatta and Western Sydney International Airport.

Source: Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government; Australian Government – High Speed Rail Authority (1, 2)

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Monica Gameng
As Felix's Marketing Assistant since 2015, Monica is responsible for researching and sharing new and progressing projects within the construction and mining sectors in Australia. It's no surprise that Monica has her finger on the pulse of Australian major projects given she has produced more than 3,000 posts to date. She truly is an industry expert!
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