A new inland rail port at Leigh Creek in eastern central South Australia will provide an integrated road and rail service from Adelaide to the Cooper Basin, reducing freight costs and improving transport efficiency.
The facility will use the existing rail infrastructure between Port Augusta and Leigh Creek to transfer imported and domestic freight from Adelaide to Leigh Creek. It will then transfer the inbound freight by road to the Cooper Basin.
Bowmans Rail has been awarded a $200,000 Upper Spencer Gulf and Outback Futures Program grant to establish the intermodal container terminal, just outside of the Leigh Creek township.
South Australian Minister for Regional Development, Geoff Brock, said, “Bowmans Rail, through the Leigh Creek Intermodal, will provide an alternative transport method to cater for the oil and gas industry in the Far North, broadening the competitiveness of the region and improving its economic prosperity.
“This project, with the support of the Upper Spencer Gulf and Outback Futures Program, will stimulate new business activity, support community sustainability and create job opportunities for the region.
“Establishing the Leigh Creek intermodal will invest a project total of $800,000 into the local economy and create five new ongoing positions.”
The intermodal will also provide an option for back-loading minerals for the emerging mining industry in Leigh Creek.
Bowmans Rail Chief Executive Officer, Scott McKay, said, “We are grateful to the State Government for this $200,000 grant, which will greatly assist in the construction of the Leigh Creek intermodal facility.
“With this project we aim to service the oil and gas industry in the Cooper Basin and make future exploration more attractive by reducing supply costs and an opportunity to transfer minerals from this emerging region to export market.”
