Pacific National highlights co-operative achievement at several levels
A major jewel in the rail freight logistics crown has been given a final shine with the Parkes Logistics Terminal’s official opening.
Federal transport and infrastructure minister Michael McCormack and New South Wales regional transport and roads minister Paul Toole are to be on hand to launch what is dubbed the largest logistics terminal in regional Australia.
It is a signature day for long-term proponent Pacific National (PN).
PN chair Russell Smith sees the Parkes hub as “a great example of what can be achieved when all three levels of government work with the private sector.
“Parkes Shire Council developed the vision for a national logistics hub, the Australian government supported this vision by starting construction of Inland Rail, and NSW government has streamlined planning at Parkes by establishing a special activation precinct.”
Smith adds that Pacific National is proud to be part of Parkes, and where possible, the company engaged local businesses and trades to help build this impressive terminal.
“During terminal construction 20 local and regional businesses were engaged; including earthwork, electrical, plumbing, landscaping, water cart and catering contractors,” he says.
Eighty on-site jobs were generated during peak construction, while 90 workers will be based at the new terminal; including locomotive drivers, train crews, fork lift drivers and administration staff.
Read about PN’s hopes for its next related hub project, here
Pacific National CEO Dean Dalla Valle says the Inland Rail project gave the company great confidence to invest an initial $35 million to establish the Parkes terminal.
“Inland Rail is acting as an ‘economic flywheel’ for regional Australia, helping to stimulate private investment during a time of severe drought in NSW,” Dalla Valle states.
He thanks the NSW government for establishing the first special activation precinct in the state to help streamline planning processes at Parkes.
“Pacific National would like to think our investment in this critical piece of freight infrastructure has helped, in a small way, alleviate some of the pressures of the drought for businesses in the Parkes district,” Dalla Valle says.
The firm acknowledges the “dedicated efforts” of the Office of Regional Economic Development, a division of NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment.
PN states that it has already begun operating 1,800m double-stacked freight trains between Parkes and Perth, providing an efficiency boost in services.
“Once the Melbourne-to-Brisbane Inland Rail project is complete, regional enterprises can use Parkes as a launching pad to haul goods and commodities by rail more efficiently to the ports of Melbourne, Brisbane, Botany and Fremantle,” Dalla Valle says.
PN is now looking at how to to better connect Parkes to Port Botany via the establishment of a freight hub at St Marys in the heart of Western Sydney.
“The hub will allow long regional freight trains from Parkes to be broken into smaller metro-shuttles to more efficiently access stevedoring terminals at Port Botany,” Dalla Valle says.