This map from Salta Westgate shows the south east of Melbourne receives a majority of import containers from The Port of Melbourne. The ‘Westgate Ports South East Region’ blue dot is where the proposed Dandenong South inland port will lie in relation to rail and road links.By Shaun Inguanzo
AN inland port connected by rail to the future Port of Hastings project is fast becoming a reality.
The Salta Westgate Group has confirmed its purchase of a 112-hectare site in Dandenong South which is currently outside the Urban Growth Boundary.
City of Greater Dandenong Council is in the process of extending the boundary to include an extra 1100 hectares of industrial land in the rapidly developing region.
In documents outlining its plan, Salta Westgate says the inland port concept focused on speeding up the delivery of freight containers from the Port of Melbourne to their destination.
Currently 38 per cent of the Port of Melbourne’s containers are delivered by road to Melbourne’s south east – particularly Dandenong, where more than 40 per cent of the state’s manufacturing is located.
But there are strong signs that the future Port of Hastings could also supply Salta Westgate’s inland port with containers.
In late August Star reported the Port of Hastings Authority was releasing for public comment its 30-year plan to redevelop the port into a major container port to complement the Port of Melbourne.
Port of Hastings Authority CEO Ralph Kenyon told Star the new port would take the load off the Port of Melbourne by receiving containers relevant to Melbourne’s east.
Salta Westgate has also purchased a site in Altona for an inland port that will service the Port of Melbourne.
The company’s plan for the inland port in Dandenong South focuses heavily on rail links, instead of roads, to transport containers.
“The containers are transported to locations central to demand via rail, with truck movement along corresponding arterial roads significantly reduced,” the plan says.
According to Mr Kenyon, rail links will also be a large part of the Port of Hastings.
“Our study has investigated a number of road and rail transport corridor options including development of a new rail link to Pakenham to pick up Gippsland trade,” he said in August.
City of Greater Dandenong last week said it would “ramp up relationships a cog” with the Port of Hastings Authority to help build links between the two projects.
The inland port hinges on the extension of the Urban Growth Boundary and Planning Minister Rob Hulls must rubber-stamp the council’s application.
Greater Dandenong development services director Mal Baker said the council was hoping the application would be ready for public exhibition before Christmas, but as the council was working to reduce infrastructure costs it would most likely be after the festive season.
