CPB Contractors recently welcomed more than 50 emerging transport and infrastructure professionals to Brisbane for Transport Australia’s Emerging Leaders Forum, providing a unique opportunity to experience firsthand the delivery and legacy of Cross River Rail, Queensland’s largest transport infrastructure project this decade.

 

Held under the theme Building the Legacy: How today's major projects will shape Australia's future transport system and the leaders who will deliver it, the forum brought together the next generation of industry leaders to explore how major projects are transforming cities, strengthening workforce capability and creating long-term benefits for communities.

CPB Contractors hosted participants at the Cross River Rail Experience Centre, where Cross River Rail Delivery Authority General Manager Communications and Engagement, Russell Vine shared how the project is delivering increased network capacity, improved customer outcomes, greater economic productivity and long-term workforce capability while transforming Brisbane and South East Queensland. The group then departed for site tours across two of the nearly-complete new stations - Boggo Road and Albert Street as well as Clapham Yard Stabling Facility, where they gained behind-the-scenes insights into one of Australia's most complex rail infrastructure projects discovering some of the engineering feats involved in delivering it.

Addressing forum participants, CPB Contractors' Queensland General Manager Vince Sanfilippo reflected on the scale and significance of Cross River Rail and the lasting legacy it will leave for Queensland.

“Cross River Rail is much more than a transport project. While it will transform the way people move around South East Queensland, its greatest legacy will be the capacity it creates, the city it helps shape and the people who have delivered it,” he said.

“At CPB Contractors, we believe the most important legacy of major projects is the capability they build in the workforce. Cross River Rail has challenged people in ways few projects can. It has demanded resilience, adaptability and problem-solving at every stage. The skills, experience and confidence our people have gained through delivering this project will stay with them throughout their careers.”

A panel discussion of industry leaders explored the long-term legacy of Queensland’s pipeline of major infrastructure projects and the skills these emerging leaders will need to contribute to increasingly complex and integrated transport networks. The group then participated in collaborative workshops examining how today's major projects can leave a lasting legacy for Australia's future transport system. Discussions focused on productivity, safety, collaboration, workforce development and the long-term outcomes projects should deliver beyond major events and construction milestones. Recommendations developed by the cohort will help inform future Transport Australia policy discussions and Emerging Leaders initiatives.

For the emerging leaders attending the forum, the experience offered a powerful reminder that infrastructure is ultimately about creating lasting value, for communities, cities and future generations.

Images courtesy Transport Australia ©2026