We saw a lot of cows, a few camels, no kangaroos. The scenery reminded us of going through the panhandle of Texas except for the trees. They are very different.
It is not just a tourist train. It is a major connection from southern Australia to northern Australia.
I was just reading about that:
Hi-speed Trains Boost Jobs
Super-fast travel between Australia’s major cities has been on the national agenda for decades now the campaign is stepping up a gear, writes Nick Gibson.
The dream of travelling from Melbourne to Sydney in just three hours will soon be a reality as Aussies swap planes for hi-speed trains.
Jets have traditionally overcome the ‘tyranny of distance’ facing travellers across the Australian continent and the Melbourne - Sydney air route is now the world's fourth busiest. But the need to offset the effects of climate change and reduce carbon-based energy use is forcing a change in transport policies, away from planes and towards energy-efficient trains. A major restructuring of the Australian economy is moving the country towards a higher percentage of electricity, heating and transport fuelled by renewable energy sources.
“In the next few years Australia will move quickly towards an energy-efficient economy and this will have a major impact on job creation,” says Darrell Todd, ceo of thinkingausrtalia.com
Transport generates the fastest-growing amount of Australian greenhouse gas emissions (16%). Across the transport sector aviation is the fastest-growing contributor of carbon emissions.
A high-speed train, meanwhile, carries eight times more passengers than a jet plane over a given distance - using the same amount of energy. Electrifying 95% of Australia's transport system would play a major role in reducing carbon emissions, as it could be powered by 100% renewable energy.
Says Darrell Todd: “The building of a new national high-speed rail network linking all major cites will be a massive infrastructure project and will provide thousands of new jobs for a decade or more”.
If you are a UK worker or professional seeking a new job and better lifestyle Down Under, contact us today to find out about jobs and migration and how YOU could be starting a new life in Australia in 2010. Tel: 0845 850 4040
Apparently they're looking for migrants to help them build the new high-speed rail.