Moorebank Intermodal Freight Terminal
Moorebank, in south western Sydney, is the proposed site for an Intermodal Terminal facility planned to handle container traffic from interstate rail freight and Port Botany.
In the 2010-11 Budget, the Government announced funding to complete the detailed planning on the Moorebank Intermodal Terminal, with the staged redevelopment of the hub expected to start in 2013, subject to final approval.
The Moorebank Intermodal Terminal will provide an integrated transport solution for the movement of freight to, from and within the Sydney basin to support national productivity, reduce business costs and urban traffic congestion by a more efficient distribution of containers by rail and create jobs.
Once complete, the new facility will improve Australia’s productivity and economic performance and promote significant industry development, investment and create jobs in south western Sydney. The proposed Moorebank Intermodal Terminal will reduce road congestion and delays. The reduction in heavy vehicle traffic on Sydney’s roads will improve air quality, decrease greenhouse gas emissions and will also decrease motor vehicle accident rates.
It is expected that detailed design and approval of the Moorebank Intermodal Freight Terminal project will be completed by mid-2012 and, subject to planning outcomes, the staged development of the Intermodal Terminal is proposed to start in 2013.
Project Overview
Background
The Australian Government has committed $300 million through the Nation Building Program towards the development of an intermodal freight hub at Moorebank, on land owned and used by the Department of Defence.
In the 2010-11 Budget, funding of $70.7 million was allocated to complete the detailed planning and approval of the Moorebank Intermodal Terminal and the relocation of the School of Military Engineering and other Defence units to Holsworthy. The Moorebank Intermodal Terminal will address the shortage of intermodal terminal capacity in Sydney and complement other Government investments in rail connections on the main interstate rail line between Melbourne-Sydney-Brisbane as well as to Port Botany.
The Moorebank Project Office, an integrated Commonwealth project team, will develop a comprehensive business case, design, approval and an implementation strategy for the Moorebank Intermodal Terminal. The Project Office will work in close consultation with the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, the Department of Defence and other relevant federal and state government agencies and local government.
The NSW Government, the Liverpool City Council and the local community will be closely consulted in the Moorebank Intermodal Terminal project.
Location
The proposed site for the Intermodal Terminal facility is located in the south western corridor with access to the proposed Southern Sydney Freight Line, the M5 corridor and the industrial area of western Sydney via the M7 corridor.
The Moorebank precinct was chosen as it offers unique advantages for the development of a new Intermodal Terminal including:
- its size (approximately 220 hectares), favourable topography, and length (over two kilometres);
- its proximity to key transport corridors including the Southern Sydney Freight Line, main interstate rail line, and the M5 and M7 motorways; and
- its proximity to the industrial centres in Sydney’s west and south west including Moorebank, Bankstown, Prestons and Ingleburn.
The Moorebank precinct is sufficiently large to enable the staged development of an Intermodal Terminal to handle trains of 1,800 metres in length, the most efficient in Australia, with minimal operating constraints and which no other Sydney Intermodal Terminal can provide.
The attached map indicates the location of Moorebank.
Issues to be considered
Throughout the planning, design and approval of the Moorebank Intermodal Terminal, geographic, environmental, heritage and architectural matters will be considered under Commonwealth and NSW planning and environmental legislation. There will be extensive consultation with all levels of government and the local community.
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Project Benefits
The Moorebank Intermodal Terminal facility will provide an integrated solution for the movement of freight to, from and within Sydney and will provide benefits to the region and surrounds. These include:
- Reduction in heavy vehicle traffic on Sydney’s roads;
- Improved import and export speed efficiency to boost Australia’s productivity and economic performance by rail;
- Improved air quality, decreased greenhouse gas emissions and motor vehicle accident rates; and
- Better promotion of industry development, investment and jobs in south western Sydney.
Project Schedule
It is expected that detailed planning, design and approval of the Moorebank Intermodal Terminal project will be completed by mid-2012.
Subject to planning outcomes, the staged redevelopment of the freight hub is proposed to start in 2013 with the first stage of the Moorebank Intermodal Terminal expected to be operational by early 2016.
The Moorebank Intermodal Terminal is not expected to be fully operational until Defence has fully vacated the School of Military Engineering site.
Ministerial statements and news
Contact for information on this page: Moorebank Project Office