Gippsland Critical Minerals (GCM) last week announced the formation of a new Freight Rail Taskforce (FRT) after preliminary studies confirmed that the proposed new mine will create the ‘base load’ needed to underpin a Melbourne to Bairnsdale freight rail service.
The studies, undertaken as part of the redesign and rescope of the Fingerboards Critical Minerals Project, suggest that GCM could create enough demand for three weekly rail freight services to travel from Melbourne.
That service would pick up GCM’s material from a proposed new rail siding in Fernbank and then continue on to the Fenning Intermodal Freight Terminal (FIFT) in Bairnsdale before travelling to Melbourne Port, supporting local industries spanning agriculture, horticulture, timber and more.
“While recent upgrades have increased the weight capacity of two bridges to enable heavy freight to travel from Melbourne to Bairnsdale, without a guaranteed ‘base load’ of goods, it has simply not been commercially viable for rail freight services to operate to East Gippsland,” GCM chief executive officer Michelle Wood said.
“Once operational, all of GCM’s product will be transported to port by rail – underpinning the commercial case for three services a week and supporting the transportation of more than 10,000 containers each year by rail.
“This is a significant opportunity and ancillary benefit of the project that will open up the whole of East Gippsland.”
GCM is inviting industry leaders, freight experts, representative bodies and businesses to join the Taskforce, which will include representatives from key government agencies and decision makers.
The FRT will work to define regional needs and identify priority industries with a view to developing a regional freight logistics strategy.
“The idea of extending the service from GCM’s proposed rail siding in Fernbank to the existing FIFT in Bairnsdale was suggested to GCM by passionate community members who want to ensure the project enhances the economic outcomes for the entire East Gippsland community,” Ms Wood said.
“An East Gippsland freight service has been long-awaited and long-promised and I am pleased that GCM is able to drive it forward through the formation of this Taskforce.”
If approved, rail freight services could be operating as early as 2027/28.
