• Trespassing on the Queensland Rail network is on the rise with 3845 incidents in 2024.
• Queensland Rail has released heart stopping footage of close calls between trespassers and trains.
• Queensland Rail is pleading with the community to make safe choices around the rails.
A worrying trespassing trend has sparked an urgent warning from Queensland Rail, after several horrifying close calls were captured on camera.
The footage shows people cutting corners over the tracks to make trains, jumping off the platform to retrieve dropped items and collecting bottles, while others are filmed chatting on the tracks as a train comes dangerously close.
In one clip a person jumps across one set of tracks only to narrowly miss being struck by a train coming in the other direction while in another a person jumps onto the tracks to retrieve a dropped skateboard.
Queensland Rail has slammed the risky behaviour revealing 3845 trespassing incidents resulting in 197 close calls happened in 2024 in South East Queensland. This follows similar figures in 2023 where there were 3780 incidents and 218 close calls.
Trespassing in the rail corridor is incredibly dangerous with offenders risking being struck by a train or electrocuted by the rail infrastructure.
Trespasser's actions can also put the safety of rail customers and Queensland Rail employees at risk, and cause delays to rail services.
Near miss incidents can have a lasting, traumatic impact on drivers and staff. Those who experience a near miss are given extensive support from Queensland Rail, which may include immediate relief from duties, extended paid leave and access to trauma counselling.
Queensland Rail warned the risky behaviour is not only life-threatening, but illegal, and, with more than 12,000 CCTV cameras on the network, a dedicated team of Railway Squad Officers, Security and Emergency teams, Authorised Officers and Private Security Guards, the chances of getting caught are high.
To report unsafe behaviour on the rail network, members of the public can tell Queensland Rail staff where available, press the help buttons on trains and platforms or call triple zero in an emergency.
Those caught trespassing on the rail network can be fined $322 on the spot or face criminal charges.
As stated by Queensland Rail Senior Manager of Security and Emergency Preparedness Drew Brock:
"Tracks are not playgrounds and if you're on them it's like playing chicken with a train.
"The consequences of being on the tracks when a train comes can be horrific - there's no room for error and no excuse for trespassing.
"Some of the common excuses we hear for trespassing include using the tracks as a short cut, retrieving dropped items as well anti-social behaviour such as vandalism.
"Stay off the tracks, allow plenty of time to get to your train, and if you drop an item from the platform speak to station staff who will arrange to have it retrieved safely.
"Trespassing incidents which result in near misses are traumatic for train drivers, station staff and customers but they are entirely preventable.
"We want everyone, including our train drivers and customers, to get home safely."
| Top trespassing locations in SEQ in 2024 | Number of incidents |
| Wynnum North | 165 |
| Wynnum Central | 157 |
| Loganlea | 138 |
| Murarrie | 91 |
| Roma Street | 86 |
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