International Railroad Discussion > How much coal is moving by rail in Australia - looks like a lot

Putting aside the obvious political noise in this article, it looks like the Aussies are really making a killing on coal. How much of it is moving by rail?

 

A huge amound of coal moves out of the port at Newcastle (Kooragang Island)  and Woolongong (port Kembla).It arrives at these location by train from various mines in the Hunter valley,and Illawarra  regions.Most of it was going to China,but due to a serious diplomatic spat currently going on ,we have had to find other customers.Apparently this was achieved pretty quickly,with Korea ,Japan,India  ,and others picking up the slack.Queensland also export a lot from their eastern ports,I assume to the same customers.It is also transported to ports by rail.(3ft-6in gauge).
China's insatable demand for our Iron Ore continues unabated,and recent surges in prices for the ore is expected to carry the country out of these covid induced financial difficult times.(If you believe media ,and politicians)
Regards,dK

Coal - What We Deliver | Aurizon
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/29/21 20:48 by DKay.

Some statistics. - 2016 - Australia was top coal exporter in the world. USD 29579 million -40% of world exports- followed by Indonesia - 12 , 899 million and then Russia 8907 millions
Newcastle , NSW north of Sydney coal exports hit a record of 164.9 million tonnes in 2019 , all come from the mines in coal  trains.Aurizon , Pacific National and One Rail all transport coal by rail from inland mostly open cut mines . 87% is thermal and the rest is for coking coal. Standard Gauge in NSW. 
Port Kembla south of Sydney - rail - tonnage unknown but a chinese bulk carrier Yanze5 was arriving from Incheon on the 7th May to load coal , grain is also exported from this port same as Newcastle. Another bulk carrier was leaving that day with grain for Oman.There is a steel works there as well , Newcastle used to have a steel works but it closed a few yrs back. Most of the grain exported is railed to these ports - there has been a bumper crop - so the grain trains are busy along with the coal movements which are very frequent in the Hunter Valley. 
.Coal is exported from the Port of Brisbane along with grain - all tonnage comes by rail .3ft 6 inch gauge.
Gladstone , Central Qld - large export coal terminal there pus a smaller coal loader, Blackwater and Moura Mine coal systems - double electrified track from Gladstone to the Blackwater /Emerald Mines - 300Kim.   Moura Line is diesel . 3ft 6 inch gauge
Hay Point/Dalyrymple Bay - just south of Mackay , Central Qld , Two large export terminals there , all coal shipped by rail from several mines 200klm inland.  Double /electrified track from the ports out to the coal fields - 3ft 6 inch gauge .77 million tonnes of coal shipped out in 2004.Mackay Harbour shiips out grain and bulk sugar in season - all rail hauled. 
Abbott Point - 200 klms south of Townsville. Large coal export terminal. all coal shipped in by rail . 3 ft 6 inch gauge. Adani coal , a indian tycoon building a new coal mine well inland will be shipped out of this port , The 200 km rail line to this  mine from existing coal network is being constructed now. 
Bulk Sugar and minerals are shipped out of Townsville Port , all rail hauled 
Most of this rail haulage has going on for decades. 
GM
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Are all these massive tonnages moved on narrow gauge?  No stardard gauge to those ports?

Pictures?

Tom.Standard gauge in New South Wales.3ft-6in narrow gauge in Queensland.
Regards,DK

Thanks.