Mitchell Shire Council has welcomed the official launch of the Beveridge Intermodal Precinct, marking a major milestone for a project Council has long championed as critical for Melbourne's north and Victoria.
The launch event, hosted by National Intermodal, brought together industry, government, education, and community leaders to recognise the national importance of the precinct and its role in reshaping freight and logistics across Victoria and Australia.
Located on the Inland Rail route, the Beveridge Intermodal Precinct will be the southern connection for Inland Rail and is set to become a key piece of national infrastructure.
The precinct will create a direct high-capacity freight connection between Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth, including the ability to handle 1,800 metre double stacked Inland Rail trains.
The first stage is aiming to be operational by mid-2028 and will deliver Melbourne's first terminal capable of accommodating a full double stacked Inland Rail service.
Stage two planning is well advanced and will include a 200-hectare co-located industrial precinct together with future terminal capacity expansion.
Once complete, the precinct will support a modern logistics hub with warehousing, common-use infrastructure and advanced rail handling supported by automation and renewable energy technologies.
With $2.565 billion in Federal investment underpinning its delivery, the Beveridge Intermodal Precinct is set to become a game changer for both Australia's freight network and the Mitchell economy. It positions Beveridge as a nationally significant hub for jobs, innovation and long-term investment.
The Beveridge Intermodal Precinct is expected to deliver major economic and environmental benefits including:
- Approximately $14 billion economic uplift for Victoria
- More than 17,000 associated jobs, with around 70% targeted for local workers
- Removal of an estimated 167,000 truck trips a year
- A reduction of about 12.1 million tonnes of CO2 over the next 25 years
- Preservation of around 500 hectares of land for green wedge purposes and longer-term environmental and social benefits
Mitchell Shire Mayor John Dougall said the precinct will provide significant opportunities for local workers and businesses, while supporting a stronger regional economy and a more efficient national freight network.
"This is a genuine game changer for our region. Beveridge will become the heart of innovative freight and logistics in Australia and a catalyst for a booming employment precinct," he said.
"The scale of Federal investment shows real confidence in the future of Mitchell Shire, Melbourne's north and in the opportunities this precinct will unlock for local workers and businesses.
"This precinct cements our region as a crucial link in Australia's supply chain. It's a nationally significant project and we're proud to see real progress on the ground.
"For our community this is about long-term jobs close to where people live, not just new industrial land. Local employment is central to why Council has pushed so hard for this precinct over many years.
"The environmental benefits are also substantial. Taking heavy freight off metropolitan roads and onto rail makes good sense and delivers a cleaner future for freight movement across Victoria.
"When stage one opens, we'll see the first terminal capable of handling double-stack Inland Rail trains. That capability positions our region at the heart of a modern national freight network.
"This milestone reflects years of advocacy by Mitchell Shire Council. It is a strong example of what can be achieved through partnership, with Council working alongside State and Federal Governments, National Intermodal, Northern Councils Alliance, and NORTH Link to secure the investment and planning needed to bring this project to life."
