Progress on the inland rail link from Brisbane to Melbourne will be discussed at the first federal Nationals party room meeting of the year.
The Nationals are gathering in the Victorian regional centre of Wodonga before federal parliament resumes on Monday.
Former deputy prime minister John Anderson, who is chairman of the inland rail implementation group, will brief MPs on progress on Thursday.
The project involves a 1730km freight route using existing line in Victoria and southern NSW, but will require about 1000km of track upgrades and new track in NSW and southeast Queensland.
The federal government has committed $300 million for pre-construction work, including planning, public consultation and environmental checks.
Nationals leader Warren Truss has described the project as a "game changer" for how freight is moved across the three states.
The Nationals are also expected to discuss recent government policy changes, including the ditching of paid parental leave and changes to the university deregulation plan.
