Moree Plains Shire Council Mayor Karina Humphries, with Member for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall and Deputy Premier John Barilaro, at the funding announcement.
Friday, 6 September 2019
MOREE’S dream of becoming the freight hub of the North West has rolled into reality with Northern Tablelands MP and Minister for Agriculture Adam Marshall and Deputy Premier John Barilaro today announcing a $3.4 million grant to build roads and improve access around a proposed intermodal site.
Mr Marshall and Mr Barilaro inspected Moree Plains Shire Council’s (MPSC) planned freight terminal location which will act as a state-wide distribution point for millions of dollars’ worth of agricultural product.
Mr Marshall said today’s funding announcement for Stage 1, the North South Link, was a positive step towards a new era of economic growth for Moree.
“Being the most productive agricultural district in the country, Moree is perfectly positioned to have this large consolidation and loading facility to take produce from the region to Brisbane, Newcastle or further afield,” Mr Marshall said.
“This $3.4 million grant provided through the Growing Local Economies Fund will allow MPSC to start constructing a new section of road to connect Burrington Road and Tapscott’s Road, south of the Louis Dreyfus Company site as well as work to upgrade and flood proof unsealed roads along the Newell Highway and rail corridor.
“The intermodal is visionary and by providing this preliminary funding the NSW Government is making sure Moree shire is ready to distribute goods and create jobs when the first train rolls along the inland rail in 2025,” Mr Marshall said.
Mr Barilaro said the economic flow on from the Moree Intermodal will be felt across the entire region.
“Because of the prolonged drought and downturn in local economies many people are struggling to see a future in the bush,” Mr Barilaro said.
“Today’s announcement is a commitment by the NSW Government to ensuring there are job opportunities for our children in their home towns well after the drought breaks.
“I congratulate MPSC for the work it has done preparing a strong proposal for the Government to consider and I look forward to seeing these road works complete and the trucks and trains soon rolling into the intermodal,” Mr Barilaro said.
Mayor of Moree Katrina Humphries said the intermodal, working with the Inland Rail, is a once in a lifetime opportunity.
“I want to thank the NSW Government for recognising the economic potential the intermodal will deliver to both Moree and the wider Inland Rail project,” Mrs Humphries said.
“With our town’s location at the junction of the Gwydir, Newell and Castlreagh Highways and pre-existing availability of industrially zoned land with road and rail access Moree really is the perfect fit for this development.
“Hours of work has gone into getting the intermodal to this point and Council now looks forward getting on with Stage 1 and providing a bright and prosperous future for our region,” Mrs Humphries said.
All up these road upgrades will cost $3.9 million, with MPSC pledging to contribute $205,000 and private enterprise investing $337,000.