A joint venture of Vinci subsidiary Seymour Whyte and John Holland, a subsidiary of China Communications Construction, has won a €432m (A$695m) contract to upgrade an approximately 42km-long section of railway between Beerburrum and Nambour in southeast Queensland, Australia.

Working for the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads, the 50:50 JV will duplicate tracks between Beerburrum and Beerwah, straighten the line between Beerburrum and Glass House Mountains, upgrade a park-and-ride at Beerburrum, add new and upgrade existing viaducts, and update signalling systems.

Seymour Whyte said the contract allows the joint venture to finalise designs with SMEC Australia and WSP Australia, and to start major works.

In 2023 the JV was appointed to undertake pre-construction and design work.

The work is intended to increase the freight and passenger capacity of Queensland’s 1,400km-long North Coast Line, which runs the length of the state’s coast.