The High Speed Rail Authority has awarded tenders for the development and planning of the high-speed train network from Newcastle to Sydney.
The federal government invited tenders for eight work packages, which will allow the authority to deliver a business case for the Sydney to Newcastle section of the high-speed rail network by the end of 2024.
The eight packages include project controls (costs, schedule and risk), rail operations planning, First Nations participation and engagement, and commercial, delivery strategy and industry engagement.
The government said that more than 300 industry members participated in the briefing held in March, and that the contracts had since been awarded to the following companies.
The Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Catherine King, during a visit to GrainCorp in Newcastle on Thursday, said the tenders were "to ensure that we can actually build this important piece of infrastructure and plan this properly".
"We are very serious about getting high-speed rail from Newcastle to Sydney," she said.
"What I've said all the way along is we want to get every element of this right - from the planning to the financing to understanding the route, the trains to be used, the technology to be used and how we actually look at that as a really important passenger service."
Ms King pointed to the UK example, citing companies that shifted from London to cities such as Birmingham, as what she hoped to achieve in NSW.
"That's the sort of thing we really see the opportunity of high-speed rail making, not just for Newcastle but also the Central Coast," she said.
"Really, this is not just about trains; it's actually about the economic development of Newcastle and the Hunter as a whole."
The federal government has committed $500 million for the planning and corridor protection of the Sydney to Newcastle section.
The first major milestone will be progressing with onsite studies such as geotechnical investigations to test ground condition. This will help inform high-speed rail corridor alignment and station locations.
Stakeholders can register their details to participate in future engagement opportunities by emailing info@hsra.gov.au.
The business case on high-speed rail is due to Ms King at the end of the year.
