The transaction for the Federal Government-owned National Intermodal Corporation to acquire a 1100-hectare site at Beveridge is now complete, as the project’s concept designs are finalised.
National Intermodal is working on progressing the required planning and environmental approvals, aiming for a preliminary terminal to open in 2025.
A fully integrated terminal, with the capacity to store 500,000 20-foot equivalent units each year, is planned to open in 2028-29.
The acquisition follows the release of the Inland Rail Review in April this year, which endorsed the Beveridge site as the southern end-point of Inland Rail and one of two new planned intermodal terminal precincts for Melbourne, with the other to be in Truganina.
The Beveridge site will have the ability to offer double-stacked container services for 1800-metre freight trains to Perth via Parkes, and to Brisbane on completion of Inland Rail.
The terminal will enhance competition in the rail freight sector by aiming to ensure independent, open access arrangements for all industry participants and offer the ability to provide freight services across Melbourne and through to Sydney, Brisbane, and Perth.
The large landholding at Beveridge will incorporate a 500-hectare environmental buffer, which can be protected and enhanced for the amenity of both future precinct occupiers and surrounding communities.
National Intermodal will seek further market interest for both customers and co-investors building on a recent memorandum of understanding entered into with Aurizon to become a foundation customer.
National Intermodal chief executive James Baulderstone said the Beveridge development would revitalise the rail freight sector.
“This project, together with Inland Rail, will help transform our supply chain and importantly, lower costs for Australian businesses and families,” he said.
“We recognise that development of the intermodal precincts at Beveridge and Truganina will be genuinely transformational for Victoria and particularly the surrounding communities, providing significant employment opportunities during the construction and operational phases, as well as being key catalysts for other local infrastructure investment.
“Once completed, this world class logistics precinct will create thousands of high skilled supply chain jobs of the future. Our goal will be to ensure that residents of the Whittlesea and Mitchell Shire council areas will hold as many of these jobs as possible.”
Mr Baulderstone said National Intermodal would work across the Australian logistics industry to create training opportunities for residents to ensure they were skilled and ready when the precinct became operational.
“Modern intermodal precincts offer the potential to fundamentally change the emissions intensity of how freight is currently moved around metropolitan areas,” he said.
“Incorporating world leading renewable energy technologies, including the massive solar energy potential of large scale industrial warehouse rooftops, provides the opportunity to create a true net zero logistics hub.”
