Ballarat's $23.5 million intermodal freight hub is finally under construction after almost a decade, with excavators preparing the site at BWEZ.
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The freight terminal, which will provide businesses access to the broad gauge rail line running through the town, was first given Commonwealth funding in 2013.
When complete, it's hoped it will drive employment at the Ballarat West Employment Zone, given its greenfield industrial sites and close connections to the Western Freeway and Ballarat airport.
The federal government allocated $9.1 million to the project in 2013, with the state government also committing funding for the first round of construction in 2014.
A report from 2019 details the City of Ballarat seeking a state government commitment to build the freight hub.
According to the state government, the hub will be able to handle 24,000 containers every year, with three concrete sidings for 600-metre freight trains and "substantial" hardstand for loading, unloading, and storage at five serviced lots.
Already, businesses are storing containers on their BWEZ properties, and one company still planning its Ballarat facilities said it chose BWEZ because of the freight hub.
"Up to 300,000 tonnes of grain per annum is expected to be railed to the terminal where new and existing businesses at BWEZ will process the grain into product such as flour," a state government media release notes.
In Ballarat to make the announcement, Freight Minister Melissa Horne said the Coalition government was to blame for the delay in beginning construction.
"We've needed to be able to work collaboratively with the federal government to release that funding," she said.
Ms Horne also revealed the government is still searching for an operator, after seeking expressions of interest multiple times, including in 2020 when Development Victoria, which is in charge of the project, sought "developers and operators".
An expression of interest for an operator for the site will be released soon, the state government media release added.
When asked about the potential impact on passenger rail in Ballarat, Ms Horne said the state government had invested $181 million to improve the freight network in Victoria's northwest.
Federal Infrastructure Minister and Ballarat MP Catherine King was also at the announcement, stating there will be more businesses attracted to BWEZ because of the freight hub.
"Lots of industry here makes it that much more viable," she said.
"This is a very important project for our region, I want to commend the City of Ballarat for sticking to its guns."
City of Ballarat mayor Daniel Moloney said manufacturing is the third biggest employer in town after health and education, and was growing.
"Ballarat doesn't have a port but it has everything else, an airport, great road connections, and a great railway line," he said.
"Road, rail, air, with great connections now to the ports, this is one of the things the businesses here have come to on the promise there'd be that complete connection."
Major construction is expected to begin next year.
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