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The Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) has confirmed today that it has purchased nearly 850 hectares of land in the Bromelton State Development Area in South East Queensland.
Bromelton is located near Beaudesert, 65km south west of Brisbane and 60km west of Gold Coast. 654ha of the site purchased is deemed developable land.
“As a company we take a long-term view on decisions that will benefit and grow the rail freight industry – and we believe investing in Bromelton aligns with this goal,” ARTC CEO John Fullerton said.
“Given the site’s strategic location and the intended scope for the area to see an intermodal logistics hub or ‘inland port’ to be developed over time – it was important we looked at the opportunity closely when the land became available.
“The land is the only area on the eastern seaboard with current direct access to the interstate railway line between Melbourne and Brisbane. The site is also adjacent to B-double transport routes that are less than one hour’s drive from the Port of Brisbane and the Brisbane CBD.”
Mr Fullerton said the investment by ARTC represented confidence in the growth of rail and associated industries in the Beaudesert region over the future.
“It’s no secret that we see North-South freight flows between Melbourne and Brisbane as a pivotal growth market and that modern terminal development is essential to enabling this.”
The Melbourne—Sydney – Brisbane corridor represents the largest domestic freight market in the country.
“We would also like to acknowledge and commend the Queensland Government for their foresight in securing this land as a state development area back in 2008,” Mr Fullerton said.
“Rail has historically suffered from a lack of support from a planning perspective. Traditionally rail terminals in Australia have been built across a small footprint in inner-city areas, only to be crowded out by urbanisation.
“As a consequence, we have a heavy reliance on road in this country and that has reduced the efficiency of freight supply chains and our country’s international competiveness.”
Australian freight company SCT Logistics are currently building their own rail terminal at Bromelton, with operations expected to commence early next year.
There are no immediate plans by ARTC to develop the Bromelton site, but early planning for that process will start over coming months.
The purchase price of the land has not been disclosed.
ENDS
Media contact: Bas Bolyn, ARTC, 0477 340 658