Future-focussed and fast

By Michael Sharpe

The Bradfield Oration by Premier Dominic Perrottet highlighted the opportunity to go for growth beyond Sydney – “At present our vision spans east to west, but there is Newcastle and the Central Coast to our north, and Wollongong to our south.

These are cities already undergoing rapid change and revitalisation. They have been the industrial workhorses of the past. And they should continue on their trajectory to become future focused precincts of tomorrow” the Premier said.

New high-speed rail routes better connecting Newcastle, Sydney and Wollongong would drive new opportunities if we included freight.

Outside of N.S.W. (Newcastle.Sydney.Wollongong.) and on the other side of the Sandstone Curtain, high-speed freight rail would be transformative for regional New South Wales. High-speed rail has been talked about for decades with very little action. The new developments for freight change the metrics and high-speed freight rail can help transform the regions.

Food producers could build and partner with local supply chains in places like the Riverina, the NSW Central West and in towns like Moree and Narrabri. 

Digital agriculture, robotic farming and crop research has had a big boost with the announcement of the multimillion-dollar International Centre of Crop and Digital Farming.

The new $12 million centre will be based at the 2000-hectare University of Sydney Plant Breeding Institute, at Narrabri. 

Food producers could value add and provide manufacturing at the source in Narrabri. Grow, process, package in Narrabri and send by high-speed freight rail to a ready market in Sydney and to our ports for export to the world.

This year in London, Orion High Speed Logistics launched a new service with repurposed electric passenger trains. The news reports of the launch declared that “when the doors slid open, the new arrival’s revolutionary potential became evident.” 

The interior of the train is stripped of seats and fitted with metal floors and equipment to hold wheeled cages full of retailers’ stock. Minutes after arriving, the cages were being hauled out of the city station and out across central London.

High-Speed Freight Rail would enable manufacturing companies to establish in regional NSW with affordable land and remarkable access to cities and ports. High-speed passenger trains would enable people to consider moving to the regions with the ability to affordably build a home and raise a family close to job opportunities in advanced manufacturing and more.

This month, the opening of the China-Laos railway provides new opportunities for ASEAN transport connections. There are high hopes to extend the high-speed railway network all the way to Singapore – a project named the Pan-Asia Railway.

High-speed rail for freight is still new and was first utilised in Italy in 2018. Now China is rapidly building high-speed freight trains. In December 2020, a new record was claimed for the fastest freight train in the world. The Chinese train manufacturer CRRC Tangshan presented its new bullet train, designed to carry cargo at a speed of 350 kms per hour.

High-speed rail is growing. However, high-speed lines usually link major city centres, which are typically not the destinations for freight. The developments in Italy, China and now in the UK are prototypes of what we can develop in Australia.

In a recent interview, the Mayor of Narrabri, Cr Ron Campbell, said “the shire is on the cusp of being a leading energy, transport, manufacturing and logistics hub.”

I know the town is growing. My Son, William (pictured on the right) is building a new Bunnings Warehouse in Narrabri. Locals have welcomed him with open arms and he has attended the local Rotary Club, fundraisers for the cancer council, swimming at the local pool and invited to play for the rugby team. His girlfriend, Sophie, secured a job in town before they even arrived. There is no shortage of work. You can get a great steak at The Tourist Hotel, but it takes planning for the two days to drive from Sydney and back or sixteen hours on the XPT. 

Future-focussed precincts connected by high-speed transport for passengers and freight would literally accelerate the transformation for new jobs and opportunities outside the capital city. Not just a transformation for Narrabri and not just for Newcastle.Sydney.Wollongong, but for all of us across New South Wales.

Michael Sharpe is National Director Industry at the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre and Founder, Nuclear Skills Forum.

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