Unlocking Victoria’s new interstate freight precincts
Getting more freight on rail and harnessing private and public sector investment in Victoria’s freight network are key aims of the Victorian Freight Plan: Delivering the Goods.
New Precincts
In 2021, we recommended development of a new interstate freight terminal in Truganina in Melbourne’s west known as the WIFT (Western Interstate Freight Terminal). This terminal would be needed to ensure Melbourne continued to have the interstate rail freight terminal capacity it needed into the future.
Since then, a few things have changed. The Commonwealth has endorsed the recommendations of an independent review of the Inland Rail Project that prioritised delivery of a new terminal in Beveridge in Melbourne’s north, ahead of delivery of WIFT.
Work is now under way by the Commonwealth on progressing the BIFT (Beveridge Interstate Freight Terminal).
At the same time, the private sector is progressing its own terminal developments across Melbourne.
The role of these new terminals will be primarily to handle interstate freight, but also the import and export container trade.
These Commonwealth and the private sector terminals will provide sufficient capacity to handle forecast interstate freight volumes in Melbourne over the medium term.
We’re extending the interstate rail freight operations in the Dynon precinct beyond 2031 to deliver certainty for industry.
While the WIFT remains a priority for the Victorian Government, its delivery will be deferred until when it’s needed.
The Government will now look at protecting land at Truganina for WIFT. This process may also help unlock land not required for WIFT for industrial development in the short term.
The Department will continue working with key stakeholders as the planning process is determined to enable the protection of land at WIFT.
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