Western Australia Unveils METRONET Morley-Ellenbrook Rail Line and Deploys Locally Built C-Series Railcars

Perth’s Historic Rail Milestone: 21-Kilometre Morley-Ellenbrook Line Welcomes Passengers

PERTH, Western Australia — In the most significant expansion of Western Australia's public rail infrastructure in nearly two decades, the Cook Labor Government and METRONET have achieved practical delivery and revenue service rollouts for the landmark 21-kilometre Morley-Ellenbrook Line. Branching from the newly rebuilt Bayswater junction station through the Tonkin Highway median, the modern spur connects Perth's booming northeastern suburbs directly to the Transperth passenger network for the first time in state history.

Commuters across the Swan Valley corridor now benefit from five newly engineered, architecturally distinctive passenger stations: Morley, Noranda, Ballajura, Whiteman Park, and Ellenbrook. Designed with sustainability at their core, all stations feature expansive solar rooftop arrays, sheltered bus interchange terminals, secure bicycle parking cages, and full disability accessibility. The line cuts peak-hour transit times from Ellenbrook to the Perth central business district down to approximately 30 minutes, cutting highway congestion and slashing travel costs for tens of thousands of families.

Bellevue Manufacturing Boom: Locally Built C-Series Railcars Transform Network Operations

Supporting the massive METRONET rail network expansion is Western Australia’s domestic train manufacturing revival at the state-of-the-art Bellevue Railcar Manufacturing Facility:

• Locally Assembled Fleet: Delivered under the WA Railcar Program, high-capacity six-car C-series electric trains are progressively entering frontline passenger service across the Joondalup, Mandurah, and newly extended corridors.
• Enhanced Passenger Amenities: Featuring wide walk-through carriages, USB charging ports at passenger seats, high-resolution digital dynamic route maps, and dedicated spaces for wheelchairs and bicycles.
• 50 Percent Local Content Mandate: Generating hundreds of high-skilled domestic engineering apprenticeships and supporting dozens of local precision fabrication suppliers throughout Western Australia.
• Yanchep Line Synergy: Seamlessly integrating with the newly completed 14.5-kilometre Yanchep Rail Extension, providing long-distance commuter efficiency from Perth's northern coastal tip down through the southern suburbs.

Transit-Oriented Precincts and Vibrant Master-Planned Communities

Beyond heavy steel rails, METRONET serves as Western Australia's primary catalyst for master-planned urban renewal. The Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC) has established Station Precinct Structure Plans surrounding Ellenbrook, Whiteman Park, and Morley, unlocking thousands of medium-density mixed-use residential apartments, community healthcare hubs, and public parklands.

By pairing world-class civil rail engineering with a domestic manufacturing renaissance and coordinated housing density, Perth demonstrates how strategic infrastructure investment creates enduring economic resilience, environmental sustainability, and livable urban communities.