Member for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall, centre, with Gwydir Shire Council Mayor John Coulton, left, and General Manager Max Eastcott, right, at the site of the new Warialda Truck Wash, on the Gwydir Highway.
Monday, 5 June 2017
PASSING freight will soon find Warialda a vastly upgraded trucking hub, with Member for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall today announcing the town will be the latest beneficiary of the NSW Government’s Fixing Country Truck Wash Program.
Gwydir Shire Council has secured $364,900 from the government to go towards the $1.2 million project, with council funding the remainder of the project.
Announcing the funding today in conjunction with the long-awaited Warialda heavy vehicle bypass, Mr Marshall said the truck wash would have several benefits.
“As a freight hub located on one of Australia’s biggest transport routes, Warialda is a natural choice for improved infrastructure,” he said.
“This construction of this facility, undertaken as part of the $10 million Fixing Country Truck Washes program, will yield significant benefits for drivers across the North West.
“Truck washes don’t just improve the cleanliness of our roads and towns, they also serve as a vital guard for the region’s biosecurity. An unwashed truck can carry weeds and disease in livestock effluent, which damages agricultural efficiency and hampers biosecurity efforts.
“It will be co-located with the just-announced bypass, meaning drivers won’t have to ‘travel to do the right thing. These two projects coupled with the recently announced upgrades to the truck wash at Moree Saleyards will mean that the freight industry has greater options than ever before.
“Construction of this truck wash shows the NSW Government’s commitment to helping our vital freight network which all country areas rely upon.”
Final designs are still being drawn up for the truck wash, which is expected to have multiple bays and facilities to improve driver comfort. Waste water from the wash will be captured and cleaned in Warialda’s sewage treatment plant, reducing water loss and minimising local environmental impacts.
Gwydir Shire Council General Manager Max Eastcott said the project was a first for the region.
“There’s no dedicated truck wash in the Gwydir Shire – people have to travel quite far. We’ve got an ongoing problem of being able to wash down in an environmentally friendly facility, to ensure drivers don’t leave effluent on the roads or hills,” Mr Eastcott said.
“The location will make it easily available for those using the bypass and it will be available for most drivers. It will also provide rest facilities including showers, which will vastly improve comfort for truckers in the area.
“It’s a much needed facility, so we’d like to see it get started as soon as possible.”