“Parkes is known as the Elvis capital of Australia, but in the future, it will also be known in freight circles as the Memphis Down Under,” said Pacific National CEO Dean Dalla Valle.
Australia’s largest rail freight operator, Pacific National, today congratulated the NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro MP for establishing a ‘special activation precinct’ to help streamline the continued development of Parkes Shire Council’s National Logistics Hub.
“Companies like Pacific National will have the added investment confidence to help create the largest freight and logistics precinct in inland regional Australia; akin to the major freight hub of Memphis in the interior of the United States of America,” said Mr Dalla Valle.
Pacific National has committed an initial $35 million to develop the company’s Parkes Logistics Terminal, located within the National Logistics Hub, and acquire rollingstock like freight wagons.
Mr Dalla Valle said Pacific National’s terminal will act as a future facility to consolidate hundreds of thousands of cargo containers, including boxes filled with regional commodities destined for overseas markets, to be hauled by rail across the length and breadth of Australia.
“Once the Melbourne to Brisbane Inland Rail project is complete, regional enterprises can use Parkes as the launching pad to haul goods and commodities by rail more efficiently between the ports of Botany, Brisbane, Melbourne and Fremantle,’ said Mr Dalla Valle.
Located at the intersection of the main western railway line running from Sydney to Perth, the future Inland Rail corridor from Melbourne to Brisbane, and the Newell Highway, Parkes is the perfect place to establish an intermodal freight terminal – a place where trains and trucks meet.
Construction of Pacific National’s terminal commenced in October 2018. Freight trains 1,800-metres in length are expected to be hauling from the terminal to Perth later this year.
Mr Dalla Valle said once fully operational, Pacific National’s Parkes Logistics Terminal will have the capacity to process approximately 450,000 cargo containers each year, including the ability to haul double-stacked containers from Parkes to Perth.
“Pacific National is proud to be part of Parkes. Terminal construction is currently generating about 40 jobs, while the future terminal will have a workforce of 100 people,” said Mr Dalla Valle.
Mr Dalla Valle said today’s announcement by the NSW Government represents a ‘tripling-down’ on great ideas.
“Parkes Shire Council’s National Logistics Hub, Australian Government’s Inland Rail project, and NSW Government’s special activation precinct – three great ideas,” said Mr Dalla Valle.
Media: Andrew Huckel, Pacific National Director of Corporate Affairs 0455 455 844
Quick facts about Pacific National’s Parkes Logistics Terminal
- One of the largest private sector investments in freight and logistics infrastructure in regional Australia, helping to give the Australian Government’s Melbourne to Brisbane Inland Rail project added momentum.
- Pacific National owns 365 hectares at Parkes.
- A single 1,800-metre freight train hauling containers is equivalent to removing 70 B-double trucks from our roads.
- A 2017 Deloitte Access Economics report found for every tonne of freight hauled a kilometre, road freight produces 14 times greater accident costs than rail freight and 16 times as much carbon pollution.
