Swietelsky Rail Australia (SRA) has officially completed the 11-year Hunter Valley Ballast Cleaning Program, a landmark initiative that concluded in June 2025 and transformed the maintenance, safety, and sustainability performance of the ARTC's Heavy Haul network.
Delivered through more than 100 individual projects between Hexham, Bylong Valley and Baan Baa, the program represents one of the longest-running continuous mechanised rail maintenance efforts in Australia.
Since commencing in 2014, SRA's specialised teams and European-designed fleet have:
* Cleaned and stabilised more than 330 kilometres of track,
* Placed over 660,000 tonnes of new ballast in track,
* Completed over 1.48 million metres of track resurfacing,
* Recycled or reused more than 430,000 tonnes of material (equivalent to more than 15,000 truckloads of material diverted from landfill), including:
Across the life of the program, over 350,000 person hours were worked in the field, supported by thousands of hours of planning, maintenance and logistics coordination, with SRA successfully managing all safety, quality, and environmental impacts throughout delivery.
Innovation and sustainability at scale
The program was designed to achieve the dual goals of enhancing network performance and minimising environmental impact. Through SRA's "fence-to-fence betterment" approach, the team consistently reused materials, improved drainage, and strengthened the long-term resilience of the corridor.
Recycled materials were incorporated into:
* over 500 kilometres of drainage improvements,
* over 300 kilometres of access road upgrades, and
* 45 level crossing renewals
This significantly reduced waste, truck movements and emissions while enhancing local infrastructure. The program also included multiple culvert replacements and significant vegetation control activities, improving both operational and environmental outcomes across the corridor.
"The work we have completed throughout the Ballast Cleaning Program has made a significant difference to the performance of the Hunter Valley network," said SRA Managing Director Anne Connors.
"Over the 11-year program our team successfully navigated floods, covid, third party delay impacts and more, but our Swietelsky team stood firm, adapted, and delivered.
"Reports from ARTC show that every location that received ballast cleaning has shown dramatic improvement, reduced maintenance, and in some cases, no maintenance at all since completion. This is testament to our planning, innovation and uncompromised focus on safety."
Technology and teamwork driving efficiency
Across the program, SRA deployed a fleet of state-of-the-art mechanised equipment, including RM80 ballast cleaners, MFC45 spoil-handling wagons, and dynamic stabilisers, to deliver work efficiently and safely within tight possession windows. The use of track-bound material transport eliminated the need for double or triple handling, significantly reducing emissions and ground disturbance.
Further innovations, such as SRA's automated track twist detection system and the introduction of positive-pressure respirators designed to support frontline workers, are just more examples of how SRA prioritised safety of its people and the quality of its projects.
"Our team adapted well to every challenge and maintained strong safety practices throughout the project," said SRA Operations Manager Ben Rogers.
"The team's commitment to safety, effective communication, and attention to detail reflects the quality of planning and delivery that underpinned this entire program."
A legacy of collaboration and excellence
For SRA, the program's success represents more than just technical achievement -- it embodies the company's values of Family, Integrity, Respect and Excellence.
"This milestone is a proud moment for everyone at Swietelsky Rail Australia," said Connors.
"Eleven years of sustained delivery in a live network, across more than 330 kilometres of ballast cleaning and hundreds of thousands of tonnes of recycled materials, is an extraordinary achievement.
"It demonstrates what's possible when collaboration, innovation and sustainability work hand in hand, leaving the Hunter Valley network in a stronger position for the future."
Engineering and Maintenance Manger Ben Senior also paid tribute to the teams involved, saying: "Our crews have consistently focused on minimising material handling, maximising reuse opportunities, and maintaining the highest standards of safety and quality."
The program has earned Swietelsky broad industry recognition, being named finalists for Excellence in Sustainability in both the 2025 Inaugural Australian Heavy Haul Awards and the 2025 Business Hunter Awards.
The completion of the Hunter Valley Ballast Cleaning Program marks not just the end of an era, but a new benchmark for sustainable mechanised rail maintenance in Australia, delivering lasting value for the ARTC heavy haul network and its customers.
Click here to catch a glimpse of the project team and machines in action, with this short video of SRA's April 2025 Project in Muswellbrook in New South Wales, the second-last project completed under this program.