The Marion 8050 dragline is moving across the Peak Downs Hwy on Thursday.

The Marion 8050 dragline is moving across the Peak Downs Hwy on Thursday. BHP Billiton

DRAGLINE 27 is on a four month journey relocating from BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance's (BMA) Goonyella Riverside Mine to the BHP Misui Coal's (BMC) South Walker Creek Mine.

The journey follows a route previously used to move another dragline in 2000.

Dragline is going to cross Peak Downs Highway: The Marion 8050 dragline is going to cross the Peak Downs Highway at Coppabella.

At three kilometres per day, 120m per hour, the move is expected to take four months and includes four water, four road, three rail and 13 powerline crossings.

Water crossings are constructed as late as possible and removed.

The crossings are temporarily filled and levelled to provide a 35m wide corridor.

The project has been 18 months in planning with infrastructure crossings being a major logistical exercise.

A team of more than 80 people are involved in the relocation.

BHP dragline video: BHP dragline video

Originally the move was expected to commence in May but postponed after Cyclone Debbie impacted on the railway network.

The rail line crossings had to coincide with planned rail network maintenance. The machine is going to double the South Walker Mine's dragline fleet shifting overburden to uncover coal.

BMC Asset President James Palmer said the dragline would help maintain the mine's position in the first quartile in Australia of Pulverised Coal Injection (PCI).

"Having a second dragline in the pre-strip fleet will improve the cost ratio for overburden removal," Mr Palmer said.

Dragline Facts

Model: Marion 8050

Weight: 3000t

Dimensions: Body width 28m, height 45m, Boom 99m, Bucket 50m3 capacity

Capacity: 40,000 cubic metres (16 Olympic sized swimming pools) per day

Power: combined power of 100 family cars

Road crossings: Red Hill Road, Peak Downs Highway twice, Moorvale Mine Access Road

Rail crossings: Goonyella Line twice, Norwich Park

Water crossings: Isaac River, Skeleton Gully, Teviot Brook, North Creek, Thirty Mile Creek, Humbug Gully, Sandy Creek

Have you snapped a photo of the big piece of machinery? Email your photos to news@dailymercury.com.au