Editing Transport in Australia

{{short description|Overview of the transport in Australia}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
[[File:GA20891.pdf|thumb|300px|A map of major roads in Australia. Roads are the main method of transport in Australia.]]

There are many forms of '''transport in Australia'''. Australia is highly dependent on [[road transport]]. There are more than [[List of airports in Australia|300 airports]] with paved runways. Passenger rail transport includes widespread commuter networks in the major capital cities with more limited intercity and interstate networks. The [[Mining in Australia|Australian mining sector]] is reliant upon rail to transport its product to Australia's ports for export.

== Road transport ==
{{main|Road transport in Australia}}
[[File:Eastern Freeway Belford St.jpg|thumb|[[Eastern Freeway, Melbourne]]]]
Road transport is an essential element of the Australian transport network, and an enabler of the [[Economy of Australia|Australian economy]]. There is a heavy reliance on road transport due to Australia's large area and low [[population density]] in considerable parts of the country.<ref name="transtats">{{cite web|url=http://www.iraptranstats.net/aus|title=Transport in Australia|access-date=17 February 2009|work=International Transport Statistics Database|publisher=[[International Road Assessment Programme]] }}</ref> This is similar to the US. Australia's road network experiences excessive demand during peak periods and very weak demand overnight.<ref name="urp">{{cite book |last=Lyon |first=Brendan |title=Road Pricing and Provision: Changed Traffic Conditions Ahead |chapter=Using Road Pricing as a Viable Option to Meet Australia’s Future Road Funding Needs |year=2018 |url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv5cg9mn.15 |publisher=[[ANU Press]]|page=109 |jstor=j.ctv5cg9mn.15 |isbn=978-1-76046-231-4}}</ref>

Another reason for the reliance upon roads is that the [[Rail transport in Australia|Australian rail network]] has not been sufficiently developed for a lot of the freight and passenger requirements in most areas of Australia. This has meant that [[Good (economics)|goods]] that would otherwise be transported by rail are moved across Australia via [[road train]]s. Almost every household owns at least one [[car]], and uses it most days.<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.aaa.asn.au/issues/future.htm
| title = Where are we now?
| access-date = 3 February 2007
| publisher = [[Australian Automobile Association]]
}}</ref>

There are three different categories of Australian roads. They are federal highways, state highways and local roads. The road network comprises a total of 913,000&nbsp;km broken down into:<ref>CIA world fact book.</ref>
*paved: 353,331&nbsp;km (including 3,132&nbsp;km of expressways)
*unpaved: 559,669&nbsp;km (1996 estimate)

[[Victoria, Australia|Victoria]] has the largest network, with thousands of arterial (major, primary and secondary) roads to add.

The majority of road tunnels in Australia have been constructed since the 1990s to relieve traffic congestion in metropolitan areas, or to cross significant watercourses.

=== Cars ===
Australia has the thirteenth-highest level of [[List of countries by vehicles per capita|car ownership]] in the world. It has three to four times more road per capita than Europe and seven to nine times more than Asia. Australia also has the third-highest per capita rate of fuel consumption in the world. [[Melbourne]] is the most car-dependent city in Australia, according to a data survey in the 2010s, having over 110,000 more cars driving to and from the city each day than [[Sydney]]. [[Perth]], [[Adelaide]] and [[Brisbane]] are rated as being close behind. All these capital cities are rated among the highest in this category in the world ([[Automobile dependency|car dependency]]).<ref>[http://www.eoc.csiro.au/lb/lbbook/urban/yb2.htm Urban Australia: Where most of us live]. CSIRO. Retrieved 15 July 2012.</ref> The distance travelled by car (or similar vehicle) in Australia is among the highest in the world.<ref name="transtats" />

=== Electric vehicles ===
{{main|Plug-in electric vehicles in Australia}}
The adoption of [[plug-in electric vehicle]]s in Australia is driven mostly by state-based [[electric vehicle]] targets and monetary incentives to support the adoption and deployment of low- or [[zero-emission vehicle]]s. The monetary incentives include electric vehicle subsidies, interest-free loans, registration exemptions, [[stamp duty]] exemptions, the [[luxury car tax]] exemption and discounted parking for both private and commercial purchases. The [[Government of Victoria|Victoria]]n and [[Government of New South Wales|New South Wales]] governments target between 50% and 53% of new car sales to be electric vehicles by 2030.<ref name=":136">{{Cite web |last=Parkinson |first=Giles |date=2021-05-01 |title=Victoria to offer $3,000 subsidy for electric vehicles, sets 50pct target by 2030 |url=https://thedriven.io/2021/05/01/victoria-to-offer-3000-subsidy-for-electric-vehicles-sets-50pct-target-by-2030/|access-date=2021-05-01 |website=The Driven}}</ref><ref name=":204">{{Cite web |last=Mazengarb |first=Michael |date=2021-06-19 |title=NSW unveils $490 million support package for electric vehicles, but there's a catch |url=https://thedriven.io/2021/06/20/nsw-unveils-490-million-support-package-for-electric-vehicles-but-theres-a-catch/ |access-date=2021-06-22 |website=The Driven |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Harris |first=Rob |date=2021-08-22|title=Australia on verge of electric cars boom |url=https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/australia-on-verge-of-electric-cars-boom-amid-sharp-jump-in-sales-figures-20210820-p58kn5.html |access-date=2021-08-23 |website=[[The Age]]|language=en}}</ref>

== Public transport in Australia ==
[[File:Cardinia Road 2012-07-22 03.jpg|thumb|Commuter train in [[Melbourne]]]]
[[File:AECExtensionCitadisFlexity.jpg|thumbnail|[[Alstom Citadis]] and [[Flexity Classic|Bombardier Flexity Classic]] trams in [[Adelaide]]]]
[[File:0402 Chatswood, 2019 (01).jpg|thumb|A driverless [[Alstom Metropolis]] train on the [[Sydney Metro]] network]]

===Suburban rail===
Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide have extensive suburban rail networks which have grown and expanded over time. Australian suburban rail typically operates with bidirectional all-day services with Sydney, Melbourne, and to a lesser extent Perth and Brisbane's systems operating with much higher frequencies, particularly in their underground cores. [[Sydney Trains]] operates the busiest system in the country with approximately 1 million trips per day. [[Metro Trains Melbourne]] operates a larger system albeit with a lower number of trips.

===Trams and light rail===
{{main|Trams in Australia}}
[[Trams]] have historically operated in many Australian towns and cities, with the majority of these being shut down before the 1970s in the belief that more widespread car ownership would render them unnecessary. [[Trams in Melbourne|Melbourne]] is a major exception and today has the largest tram network of any city in the world. Adelaide retained one tram service — the [[Glenelg tram line]], since 2008 extended to [[Hindmarsh, South Australia|Hindmarsh]] and the [[East End, Adelaide|East End]]. Trams once operated in [[Trams in Sydney|Sydney]], [[Trams in Brisbane|Brisbane]], [[Trams in Perth|Perth]], and [[Trams in Hobart|Hobart]], and a number of major regional cities including [[Trams in Ballarat|Ballarat]], [[Trams in Bendigo|Bendigo]], [[Broken Hill]], [[Trams in Fremantle|Fremantle]], [[Trams in Geelong|Geelong]], [[Trams in Kalgoorlie|Kalgoorlie]], [[Trams in Launceston|Launceston]], [[Maitland, New South Wales|Maitland]], [[Trams in Newcastle, New South Wales|Newcastle]], [[Trams in Rockhampton|Rockhampton]], and [[Sorrento, Victoria|Sorrento]].

The [[Inner West Light Rail]] opened in Sydney in 1997 with the conversion of a disused section of the [[Metropolitan Goods railway line|Metropolitan Goods line]]. The [[CBD and South East Light Rail]] opened to [[Randwick]] in December 2019 and [[Kingsford, New South Wales|Kingsford]] in April 2020. A light rail system opened [[G:link|on the Gold Coast]] in 2014. A line opened in [[Newcastle Light Rail|Newcastle]] in February 2019 and one in [[Light rail in Canberra|Canberra]] opened in April 2019.<ref>[https://transportnsw.info/news/2019/light-rail-in-newcastle-opening-from-monday-18-february Light rail in Newcastle opening from Monday 18 February] [[Transport for NSW]] 3 February 2019</ref><ref>[https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/5992524/start-date-revealed-for-canberras-light-rail-system/ Start date revealed for Canberra’s light rail system] ''[[Canberra Times]]'' 19 March 2019</ref>

=== Rapid transit ===
Sydney is the only city in Australia with a [[rapid transit]] system. The Sydney Metro currently consists of one 52&nbsp;km driverless line, connecting [[Tallawong, New South Wales|Tallawong]] and [[Sydenham, New South Wales|Sydenham]], and is scheduled to be extended to [[Bankstown]] in 2025 under the [[Metro North West & Bankstown Line]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Update on Metro conversion of T3 Bankstown Line {{!}} Sydney Metro |url=https://www.sydneymetro.info/article/update-metro-conversion-t3-bankstown-line |access-date=2024-09-28 |website=www.sydneymetro.info |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Welcome Aboard! Sydney Metro City now open {{!}} Sydney Metro |url=https://www.sydneymetro.info/article/welcome-aboard-sydney-metro-city-now-open |access-date=2024-09-28 |website=www.sydneymetro.info |language=en}}</ref> Upon completion, it will complete the [[Sydney Metro City & Southwest]] project to form a 66&nbsp;km network with 31 metro stations.

The [[Sydney Metro West]] and [[Sydney Metro Western Sydney Airport]] are currently under construction. The former aims to connect [[Westmead, New South Wales|Westmead]] to the [[Sydney central business district|Sydney CBD]], via stations including [[Parramatta]], [[Sydney Olympic Park]], [[Five Dock]], and the [[Bays Precinct]], and is scheduled to be completed by 2032.<ref>{{Cite web |title=West project overview {{!}} Sydney Metro |url=https://www.sydneymetro.info/west/project-overview |access-date=2024-09-28 |website=www.sydneymetro.info |language=en}}</ref> The latter aims to connect [[St Marys, New South Wales|St Marys]] and Badgerys Creek [[Aerotropolis]] via [[Western Sydney Airport]], scheduled to be completed in 2026, aligning with the opening of the airport.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Western Sydney Airport project overview {{!}} Sydney Metro |url=https://www.sydneymetro.info/westernsydneyairportline |access-date=2024-09-28 |website=www.sydneymetro.info |language=en}}</ref>

Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth's commuter systems are all partially underground and reflect some aspects of typical rapid transit systems, particularly in the city centres.

===Intra-city public transport networks===
The following table presents an overview of multi-modal intra-city public transport networks in Australia's larger cities. The only [[Australian capital cities]] without multi-modal networks is [[Darwin, Northern Territory|Darwin]], which relies entirely on buses, and [[Hobart]], which has sections of derelict railway. The table does not include tourist or heritage transport modes (such as the [[Sea World Monorail System|private monorail]] at [[Sea World (Australia)|Sea World]] or the tourist [[Victor Harbor Horse Drawn Tram]]).

{| class="wikitable"
!City
! Overview
! Integrated network name
! width=80 | [[Bus]]es
! width=80 | [[Bus rapid transit]] (BRT)
! width=80 | [[Urban rail transit|Urban rail]]/[[Commuter rail]]
! width=80 | [[Light rail]]<ref>includes modern tram networks</ref>
! width=80 | Watercraft<ref>includes public [[ferry]] and Water taxi services</ref>
! width=80 | [[Rapid transit]]
|-
|[[Adelaide]] || [[Public transport in Adelaide]] || [[Adelaide Metro]] || align=center {{yes|[[Buses in Adelaide|Yes]]}} || align=center {{yes|[[O-Bahn Busway|Yes]]}} ||align=center {{yes|[[Railways in Adelaide|Yes]]}} || align=center {{yes|[[Trams in Adelaide|Yes]]}} || || 
|-
|[[Brisbane]] || [[Transport in Brisbane#Public transport|Public transport in Brisbane]] || [[Translink (Queensland)|Translink]] || align=center {{yes|[[Transport in Brisbane#Buses|Yes]]}} || align=center {{yes|[[Busways in Brisbane|Yes]]}} || align=center {{yes|[[Queensland Rail City network|Yes]]}} || || align=center {{yes|[[CityCat|Yes]]}}|| 
|-
|[[Canberra]] || [[Public transport in Canberra]] ||[[Transport Canberra and City Services Directorate|Transport Canberra]] || align=center {{yes|[[ACTION|Yes]]}} || || || {{yes|[[Light rail in Canberra|Yes]]}} ||  ||
|-
|[[Darwin, Northern Territory|Darwin]] || [[Public transport in Darwin]] ||[[Darwinbus]]|| align=center {{yes|[[Darwinbus|Yes]]}} || || || || align=center {{partial|[[Transport in Darwin#Water|Limited]]}} ||
|-
|[[Gold Coast, Queensland|Gold Coast]] || [[Public transport on the Gold Coast]] || [[Translink (Queensland)|Translink]] || align=center {{yes|[[Buses on the Gold Coast, Queensland|Yes]]}} || || align=center {{yes|[[Gold Coast railway line|Yes]]}} || align=center {{yes|[[G:link|Yes]]}} || align=center {{partial|[[Transport on the Gold Coast, Queensland#Ferries|Limited]]}} ||
|-
|[[Hobart]] || [[Transport in Hobart]] || [[Metro Tasmania]] || align=center {{yes|[[Metro Tasmania|Yes]]}} || || || || {{yes|[[Ferries in Hobart|Yes]]}} ||
|-
|[[Melbourne]] || [[Public transport in Melbourne]] || [[Public Transport Victoria]] || align=center {{yes|[[Buses in Melbourne|Yes]]}} || align=center {{yes|[[SmartBus|Yes]]}} || align=center {{yes|[[Railways in Melbourne|Yes]]}} || align=center {{yes|[[Trams in Melbourne|Yes]]}} || {{partial|[[Transport in Melbourne#Ferries|Limited]]}} || {{planned|[[Suburban Rail Loop|Planned]]}}
|-
|[[Newcastle, New South Wales|Newcastle]]|| [[Newcastle, New South Wales#Transport|Transport in Newcastle]] || [[Transport for NSW]]||align=center {{yes|[[Buses in Newcastle, New South Wales|Yes]]}} || || {{partial|[[NSW TrainLink|Limited]]}}  || align=center {{yes|[[Newcastle Light Rail|Yes]]}} ||{{partial|[[Stockton ferry service|Limited]]}} ||
|-
|[[Perth]] || [[Public transport in Perth]] || [[Transperth]] || align=center {{yes|[[Buses in Perth|Yes]]}} || || align=center {{yes|[[Railways in Perth|Yes]]}} || || {{yes|[[Transperth#Ferries|Yes]]}} ||
|-
|[[Sydney]] || [[Public transport in Sydney]] || [[Transport for NSW#Public transport services|Transport for NSW]] ||  align=center {{yes|[[Buses in Sydney|Yes]]}} || align=center {{yes|[[Liverpool–Parramatta T-way|Yes]]}} || align=center {{yes|[[Sydney Trains|Yes]]}} || align=center {{yes|[[Light rail in Sydney|Yes]]}} || align=center {{yes|[[Sydney Ferries|Yes]]}} || {{yes|[[Sydney Metro|Yes]]}}
|-
|[[Wollongong]] || [[Wollongong#Transport|Transport in Wollongong]] || [[Transport for NSW#Public transport services|Transport for NSW]] || align=center {{yes|[[Wollongong#Bus|Yes]]}} || || align=center {{yes|[[NSW TrainLink|Yes]]}} || || ||
|}

== Intercity rail transport ==
[[Image:Passenger rail services in Australia en.png|thumb|Map of passenger railway services in Australia
<br>
'''State Government owned rail services:'''
{{legend|#225500|[[Queensland Rail City network]] and [[Queensland Rail#Long-distance trains|Traveltrain]] services}}
{{legend|#b5111b|[[NSW TrainLink]] services}}
{{legend|#800080|[[V/Line]] services}}
{{legend|#f8981c|[[Transwa]] services}}

'''[[Journey Beyond]] lines:'''
{{legend|#002d62|[[Indian Pacific]]}}
{{legend|#0055d4|[[The Overland]]}}
{{legend|#f15c22|[[The Ghan]]}}]]

[[Image:Indian Pacific Perth, Western Australia.jpg|thumb|The ''[[Indian Pacific]]'' in [[Perth]]]]

{{main|Rail transport in Australia|History of rail transport in Australia}}

The railway network is large, comprising a total of 33,819&nbsp;km (2,540&nbsp;km electrified) of track: 3,719&nbsp;km [[Australian broad gauge|broad gauge]], 15,422&nbsp;km [[standard gauge]], 14,506&nbsp;km [[Narrow gauge railways in Australia|narrow gauge]] and 172&nbsp;km [[dual gauge]]. Rail transport started in the various colonies on different dates. Privately owned railways started the first lines, and struggled to succeed on a remote, huge, and sparsely populated continent, and government railways dominated. Although the various colonies had been advised by [[London]] to choose a common [[Rail gauge|gauge]], the colonies ended up with different gauges.

===Inter-state rail services===
[[Journey Beyond]] operates four trains: the ''[[Indian Pacific]]'' ([[Central railway station, Sydney|Sydney]]-[[Adelaide Parklands Terminal|Adelaide]]-[[Public Transport Centre#East Perth Terminal|Perth]]), ''[[The Ghan]]'' (Adelaide-[[Alice Springs railway station|Alice Springs]]-[[Darwin railway station|Darwin]]), ''[[The Overland]]'' ([[Southern Cross railway station|Melbourne]]-Adelaide),<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gsr.com.au/trains.htm |title=Australia's Great Train Journeys |access-date=2003-04-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030401215421/http://www.gsr.com.au/trains.htm |archive-date=1 April 2003}}</ref> and the ''[[Great Southern (train)|Great Southern]]'' ([[Brisbane]]-[[Melbourne]]-[[Adelaide]]). [[Government of New South Wales|NSW Government]] owned [[NSW TrainLink]] services link [[Roma Street railway station|Brisbane]], [[Canberra railway station|Canberra]], [[Southern Cross railway station|Melbourne]], [[Dubbo railway station|Dubbo]], [[Broken Hill railway station|Broken Hill]], [[Armidale railway station|Armidale]], [[Moree railway station|Moree]] and [[Griffith railway station|Griffith]] to [[Central railway station, Sydney|Sydney]]. Since the extension of the [[The Ghan|Ghan]] from Alice Springs to Darwin was completed in 2004, all mainland Australian capital cities are linked by [[standard gauge]] rail, for the first time.
{{see also|High-speed rail in Australia}}

===Intra-state and city rail services===
There are various state and city rail services operated by a combination of government and private entities, the most prominent of these include [[V/Line]] (regional trains and coaches in [[Victoria, Australia|Victoria]]); [[Metro Trains Melbourne]] ([[Melbourne rail network|suburban services in Melbourne]]); [[NSW TrainLink]] (regional trains and coaches in [[New South Wales]]); [[Sydney Trains]] (suburban services in Sydney); [[Queensland Rail]] (QR) operating long-distance [[Queensland Rail|Traveltrain]] services and the [[Queensland Rail City network|City network]] in South-East Queensland, and [[Transwa]] operating train and bus services in Western Australia.

In Tasmania, [[TasRail]] operates a short-haul narrow gauge freight system, that carries inter-modal and bulk mining goods. TasRail is owned by the [[Government of Tasmania]] and is going through significant below and above rail upgrades with new locomotives and wagons entering service. Significant bridge and sleeper renewal have also occurred. The Tasmanian Government also operates the [[West Coast Wilderness Railway]] as a tourist venture over an isolated length of track on Tasmania's West Coast.

=== Mining railways ===
Six heavy-duty [[mining railways]] carry iron ore to ports in the northwest of [[Western Australia]]. These railways carry no other traffic and are isolated by deserts from all other railways. The lines are [[standard gauge]] and are built to the heaviest US standards. Each line is operated by one of either [[BHP]], [[Rio Tinto (corporation)|Rio Tinto]], [[Fortescue (company)|Fortescue]] and [[Hancock Prospecting]].

A common carrier railway was proposed to serve the port of [[Oakajee Port]] just north of [[Geraldton]], but this was later cancelled after a collapse in the iron ore price.<ref>Mixed fortunes for Western Australian rail projects ''[[International Railway Journal]]'' January 2013 page 8</ref>

===Cane railways===
In [[Queensland]], 19 sugar mills are serviced by ~3,000&nbsp;km of [[Narrow gauge railways in Australia|narrow gauge]] ({{Track gauge|2ft|disp=s|lk=on}} gauge) cane tramways that deliver [[sugar cane]] to the mills.

==Pipelines==
There are several pipeline systems including:
*''[[Crude oil]]:'' 2,500&nbsp;km
*''[[Petroleum products]]:'' 500&nbsp;km
*''[[Natural gas]]:'' 5,600&nbsp;km
*''Water''
** [[Perth]] to [[Kalgoorlie]] - [[Goldfields Water Supply Scheme]]
** [[Morgan, South Australia|Morgan]] on the [[Murray River]] to [[Whyalla]], [[Port Lincoln]] - [[Morgan–Whyalla pipeline]]
** [[Mannum, South Australia|Mannum]] on the [[Murray River]] to [[Adelaide]] - [[Mannum–Adelaide pipeline]]
**Waranga Western Channel, near [[Colbinabbin]] to [[Bendigo]] and [[Ballarat]] - Goldfields Superpipe

''Projects under construction or planned:''<br />
[[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]]
* [[Goulburn River]] to Sugarloaf Reservoir, Melbourne ([[North South Pipeline]], alternatively called the Sugarloaf Pipeline) - was connected to Melbourne in February 2010.<ref name="spp">{{cite web |url=http://www.melbournewater.com.au/content/water_storages/water_supply/water_distribution/sugarloaf_pipeline.asp?bhcp=1 |title=Sugarloaf Pipeline Project |publisher=Melbourne Water |access-date=15 July 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110408210230/http://www.melbournewater.com.au/content/water_storages/water_supply/water_distribution/sugarloaf_pipeline.asp?bhcp=1 |archive-date=8 April 2011}}</ref>
* [[Wimmera]]-[[The Mallee|Mallee]] Pipeline - construction commenced in November 2006 and was completed in April 2010.<ref name="wmp">{{cite web |url=http://www.gwmwater.org.au/services/wimmera-mallee-pipeline |title=Wimmera Mallee Pipeline |publisher=GWMWater |access-date=15 July 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120506235048/http://www.gwmwater.org.au/services/wimmera-mallee-pipeline |archive-date=6 May 2012}}</ref>
* [[Melbourne]] to [[Geelong]] Pipeline - construction was completed in March 2012.<ref name="mgp">{{cite web |url=http://www.barwonwater.vic.gov.au/projects/mgi |title=Melbourne to Geelong Pipeline |publisher=Barwon Water |access-date=15 July 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120709033129/http://www.barwonwater.vic.gov.au/projects/mgi |archive-date=9 July 2012}}</ref>
* Rocklands Reservoir to Grampian Headworks Pipeline ([[Hamilton, Victoria|Hamilton]] - Grampians Pipeline) - construction commenced December 2008, expected completion in 2010.

==Waterways==
Between 1850 and 1940, [[paddle steamer]]s were used extensively on the [[Murray-Darling Basin]] to transport produce, especially wool and wheat, to river ports such as [[Echuca]], [[Mannum, South Australia|Mannum]] and [[Goolwa, South Australia|Goolwa]]. However, the water levels of the inland waterways are highly unreliable, making the rivers impassable for large parts of the year. A system of [[Lock (water transport)|locks]] was created largely to overcome this variability, but the steamers were unable to compete with rail, and later, road transport. Traffic on inland waterways is now largely restricted to private recreational craft.<ref>[[Ian Mudie]] ''Riverboats'' Sun Books, Melbourne, Victoria 1965</ref>

==Ports and harbours==
[[File:Sydney Ferry Collaroy 1 - Nov 2008.jpg|thumb|250px|A [[Freshwater-class ferry|Freshwater-class]] [[Sydney Ferries|Sydney ferry]].]]
[[File:ABS-6291.0.55.003-LabourForceAustraliaDetailedQuarterly-EmployedPersonsByIndustrySubdivisionSex-EmployedTotal-WaterTransport-Persons-A2545652X.svg|thumb|right|250px|Total employment in the water transport sector (thousands of people) since 1984]]

===Mainland===

====General====

* [[Adelaide]], [[Brisbane]], [[Cairns]], [[Darwin, Northern Territory|Darwin]], [[Fremantle]], [[Port of Geelong|Geelong]], [[Gladstone, Queensland|Gladstone]], [[Port Lincoln]], [[Mackay, Queensland|Mackay]], [[Port of Melbourne|Melbourne]], [[Newcastle, New South Wales|Newcastle]], [[Portland, Victoria|Portland]], [[Port Botany|Sydney]], [[Townsville]], [[Port Kembla, New South Wales|Wollongong]]

==== Iron ore ====
* [[Dampier, Western Australia|Dampier]]
* [[Port Hedland]]
* [[Geraldton]]
* [[Oakajee]] - proposed 2006
* [[Esperance, Western Australia|Esperance]]
* [[Port Lincoln]] - possible 2007

===Tasmania===
* [[Burnie]]
* [[Devonport, Tasmania|Devonport]]
* [[Launceston, Tasmania|Launceston]]
* [[Hobart]]

{{see also|List of Australian ports}}

==Merchant marine vessels==
[[Image:Melbourne--swanston-dock-container-crane.jpg|thumb|250px|A container crane and ship at the [[Port of Melbourne]].]]
[[File:Portbotanysydney.JPG|thumb|250px|[[Port Botany]], Sydney]]

In 2006, the Australian fleet consisted of 53 ships of 1,000 gross tonnage or over. The use of foreign registered ships to carry [[cabotage|Australian cargoes between Australian ports]] is permitted under a permit scheme, with either Single Voyage Permit (SVP) or a Continuous Voyage Permit (CVP) being issued to ships.<ref>{{cite web
 | url          = http://www.asa.com.au/industrypolicy.asp
 | title        = Industry Policy
 | author       = Australian Shipowners Association
 | publisher    = asa.com.au
 | access-date  = 2009-11-08
 | url-status   = dead
 | archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20091204011616/http://www.asa.com.au/industrypolicy.asp
 | archive-date = 4 December 2009
}}</ref> Between 1996 and 2002 the number of permits issued has increased by about 350 per cent.<ref name=cheap />

Over recent years the number of Australian registered and [[Flag State|flagged ships]] has greatly declined, from 75 ships in 1996 to less than 40 in 2007, by 2009 the number is
now approaching 30. Marine unions blame the decline on the shipping policy of the [[Howard government]] which permitted foreign ships to carry coastal traffic.<ref name=letter>{{cite web
 | url          = http://www.aimpe.asn.au/files/caltex_tanker_letter_to_fed_gov.pdf
 | title        = A new tanker ship for Australia
 | work         = Letter from the Australian Institute of Marine and Power Engineers to the Federal Minister
 | date         = 22 October 2009
 | author       = Martin Byrne
 | publisher    = aimpe.asn.au
 | access-date  = 2009-11-08
 | url-status   = dead
 | archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20110218204414/http://aimpe.asn.au/files/caltex_tanker_letter_to_fed_gov.pdf
 | archive-date = 18 February 2011
}}</ref>

There have also been cases where locally operated ships have an Australian flag from the vessel, registering it overseas under a [[flag of convenience]], then hiring foreign crews who earn up to about half the monthly rate of Australian sailors.<ref name=cheap>{{cite web
 | date         = 26 March 2002
 | url          = http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/03/25/1017004765455.html
 | title        = Maritime unions slam use of 'cheap' foreign labour
 | work         = The Age
 | author       = Paul Robinson
 | publisher    = theage.com.au
 | access-date  = 2009-11-08
}}</ref> Such moves were supported by the [[Howard government]] but opposed by maritime unions and the [[Australian Council of Trade Unions]].<ref>{{cite web
 | url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/07/13/1026185123874.html
 | title=Shipping out, and definitely not shaping up
 | author=Liz Porter
 | date=14 July 2002
 | work=The Age
 | publisher=theage.com.au
 | access-date=2009-11-08
}}</ref> The registration of the ships overseas also meant the earnings of the ships are not subject to Australian corporate taxation laws.<ref name=letter />

==Aviation==
[[File:ABS-3401.0-OverseasArrivalsDeparturesAustralia-TotalMovementArrivals CategoryMovement-NumberMovements-TotalArrivals-A1830887L.svg|thumb|right|Total monthly arrivals to Australia since 1976]]
{{main|Aviation in Australia}}{{further|List of the busiest airports in Australia}}
[[Image:Tullamarine International terminal Vabre-1.jpg|thumb|[[Melbourne Airport]]]]
[[Image:Sydneyairportt1airlines.JPG|thumb|[[Sydney Airport]]]]
[[File:Qantas A380 VH-OQB Sydney.jpg|thumbnail|[[Qantas]] [[Airbus A380]] taking off at [[Sydney Airport]]]]

[[Qantas]] is the flag carrier of Australia. [[Australian National Airways]] was the predominant domestic carrier from the mid-1930s to the early 1950s. After [[World War II]], Qantas was nationalised and its domestic operations were transferred to [[Trans Australia Airlines]] in 1946. The [[Two Airlines Policy]] was formally established in 1952 to ensure the viability of both airlines. However, ANA's leadership was quickly eroded by TAA, and it was acquired by [[Ansett Airways]] in 1957. The duopoly continued for the next four decades. In the mid-1990s TAA was merged with Qantas and later privatised. Ansett collapsed in September 2001. In the following years, [[Virgin Australia]] became a challenger to Qantas. Both companies launched low-cost subsidiaries [[Jetstar]] and [[Tigerair Australia]] respectively.

Overseas flights from Australia to the United Kingdom via the [[Eastern Hemisphere]] are known as the [[Kangaroo Route]], whereas flights via the [[Western Hemisphere]] are known as the [[Southern Cross Route]]. In 1948, the first commercial flight from Australia to Africa was flown by Qantas, launching what is known as the [[Wallaby Route]].<ref name="QFWallaby">{{Citation |title=Qantas celebrates 60 years of flying to South Africa |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyknaFqiecU |access-date=2023-04-24 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Flight1952">{{Cite book |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xQ8nAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA78 |title=Flight: The Aircraft Engineer |date=1952 |publisher=IPC Transport Press Limited |pages=78 |language=en |chapter=Indian Ocean Route - Qantas to Fly Direct Australia{{!}}South Africa Services: Cocos Base Re-constructed}}</ref> In 1954, the first flight from Australia to North America was completed, as a 60-passenger Qantas aircraft connected Sydney with [[San Francisco International Airport|San Francisco]] and [[Vancouver International Airport|Vancouver]], having fuel stops at Fiji, Canton Island and Hawaii. In November 1982, a [[Pan Am]] [[Boeing 747SP|747SP]] flew the first non-stop commercial flight from [[Los Angeles International Airport|Los Angeles]] to Sydney.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Vol. 102 No. 5339 (9 Nov 1982) |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1453280867 |access-date=2023-11-10 |website=Trove |language=en}}</ref> Airport transfer provides a seamless and efficient transportation solution for travelers.<ref name="macseventscharter">{{cite web |last1=Harison |first1=James |title=Airport Transport Perth |url=https://macseventscharter.com.au/airport-transfer-perth/ |website=macseventscharter |publisher=James Harison |access-date=19 September 2023}}</ref> A non-stop flight between Australia and Europe was first completed in March 2018 from Perth to London.

There are many airports around Australia paved or unpaved. A 2004 estimate put the number of airports at 448. The busiest airports in Australia are:

# [[Sydney Airport]] Sydney, New South Wales SYD
# [[Melbourne Airport]] Melbourne, Victoria MEL
# [[Brisbane Airport]] Brisbane, Queensland BNE
# [[Perth Airport]] Perth, Western Australia PER
# [[Adelaide Airport]] Adelaide, South Australia ADL
# [[Gold Coast Airport]] Gold Coast, Queensland OOL
# [[Cairns Airport]] Cairns, Queensland CNS
# [[Canberra Airport]] Canberra, Australian Capital Territory CBR
# [[Hobart Airport]] Hobart, Tasmania HBA
# [[Darwin International Airport]], Northern Territory DRW
# [[Townsville Airport]] Townsville, Queensland TSV

===Airports with paved runways===
There are 305 airports with paved runways:<ref name="CIA - the World Factbook">{{cite web | url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070607060922/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html | archive-date=7 June 2007 | title=CIA - the World Factbook }}</ref>
*Over {{convert|3,047|m|ft|abbr=on}}: 10
*{{convert|2,438|to|3,047|m|ft|abbr=on}}: 12
*{{convert|1,524|to|2,437|m|ft|abbr=on}}: 131
*{{convert|914|to|1,523|m|ft|abbr=on}}: 139
*Under {{convert|914|m|ft|abbr=on}}: 13 (2004 estimate)

===Airports with unpaved runways===
There are 143 airports with unpaved runways:<ref name="CIA - the World Factbook"/>
*{{convert|1,524|to|2,437|m|ft|abbr=on}}: 17
*{{convert|914|to|1,523|m|ft|abbr=on}}: 112
*Under {{convert|914|m|ft|abbr=on}}: 14 (2004 estimate)

==Environmental impact==
{{main|Environmental impact of transport in Australia}}
The environmental impact of transport in Australia is considerable. In 2009, transport emissions made up 15.3% of Australia's total greenhouse gas emissions. Between 1990 and 2009, transport emissions grew by 34.6%, the second-highest growth rate in emissions after stationary energy.<ref>{{cite report
 |title=Australian national greenhouse gas accounts
 |author=Australian Government Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency
 |year=2010
| url = http://www.climatechange.gov.au/~/media/publications/greenhouse-acctg/national-greenhouse-gas-inventory-accounting-december-quarter-2010.pdf}}</ref>

The Australian Energy Regulator and state agencies such as the New South Wales Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal set and regulate electricity prices, thereby lowering production and consumer cost.{{citation needed|date=December 2021}}

== See also ==
{{Portal|Australia|Transport}}
* [[Economic history of Australia]]
* [[Inland Railway]]
* [[Lonie Report]]
* [[Regional Rail Revival project]]
* [[Sydney Monorail]] (1988-2013)
{{clear}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Sources==
*{{CIA World Factbook|year=2000}}

==Further reading==

* Unstead, R. J. "From Bullock Dray to Tin Lizzie." ''History Today'' (June 1968), Vol. 18 Issue 6, pp 406–414 online. Covers 1788 to 1920, regarding ships, bullock drays, concord coaches, camels, railways, buggies, horse bucks, trams, and automobiles.

==External links==
{{Commons category|Transport in Australia}}
*[http://www.iraptranstats.net/aus Australia Transport Statistics]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20030801094913/http://www.railpage.org.au/railmaps/ Railway maps]
*[http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/index.cgi?action=fatiguecalc.form Driving time calculator for NSW] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130810111437/http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/index.cgi?action=fatiguecalc.form |date=10 August 2013 }}
*{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20150928172858/http://detailed-map-of-australia.atlas-map.com/ Road map of Australia]}}

{{Transport in Australia}}
{{Economy of Australia}}
{{Australia topics}}
{{Oceania in topic|Transport in}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Transport in Australia}}
[[Category:Transport in Australia| ]]