Land secured for Beveridge Intermodal Freight Terminal in Melbourne’s north

Mitchell Shire Council to the north of Melbourne has welcomed the National Intermodal Corporation’s move to secure land for the Beveridge Intermodal Freight Terminal which could see the precinct begin operations in 2024/25 and be fully operational by 2028/29.

The National Intermodal Corporation has exercised the option to acquire 1,100 hectares of land in Beveridge to develop the Beveridge Intermodal Freight Terminal.

Mitchell Shire Council has led the advocacy for the Beveridge Intermodal Freight Terminal which is a transformational project that will unlock the potential of the Inland Rail Project and fundamentally transform freight and logistics on the Eastern Seaboard of Australia.

“This is a significant and exciting win for our community, bringing thousands of jobs opportunities right to our doorstep,” said Mitchell Shire Mayor, Councillor Fiona Stevens.

“These jobs will be both while developing and building and then supporting and servicing this precinct.”

“Securing diverse and significant job opportunities is vital to the wellbeing and liveability for our residents,” the Mayor said, “and this is a fantastic opportunity for all residents throughout our Shire to access work close to home.”

“Council strongly advocates for visionary and well-planned projects that focus on transforming and bringing benefit to the Shire by supporting growth and improving quality of life for all.”

“The National Intermodal Corporation’s commitment to the Beveridge Intermodal Freight Terminal, also referred to as the BIFT, along with the significant road network of Camerons Lane, is one of the largest and most welcomed investments for our Shire,” Mayor Steven added. “This project will bring environmental benefits by significantly reducing road transport by placing it onto rail which sits nicely with our position on bringing good development and planning along with appropriate environmental considerations.”

Early planning is underway to support potential interstate rail services at Beveridge as soon as possible, with full terminal and precinct warehouse operations by 2028/29.

Once operational, the terminal will enable freight to be transferred from Victoria’s two largest ports of Melbourne and Geelong to the rest of Australia.

The Beveridge Intermodal Freight Terminal will be a major job creator for Melbourne’s north, bringing approximately 20,000 jobs to the region across construction and operation.

The activation of the precinct will be supported by the $150 million budget commitment from the Federal Government to upgrade key road corridors including the Camerons Lane/Hume Freeway intersection.

Mitchell Shire CEO, Brett Luxford, said that the investment in the Beveridge Intermodal Freight Terminal, together with Camerons Lane Interchange, will change the face of Melbourne and northern Victoria.

“Funding projects of this scale early in the life of growing communities is truly transformational and will ensure that our communities have access and connectivity to the areas where they live, work, and play,” Mr Luxford said.

“These projects will support future decades of housing and jobs expansion,” he added.

Mitchell Shire Council in partnership with City of Whittlesea, Hume City Council, NorthLink, and the Northern Councils Alliance have campaigned for the early activation of this transformational site to bring jobs and investment to the north of Melbourne.

This announcement highlights the urgency around the Victorian State Government working with local government and all stakeholders to immediately commence planning for the Northern Freight Precinct Structure Plan by placing this on the Victoria Planning Authority’s work plan to commence prior to 2024/25.