THE $20 million Blayney SeaLink rail siding will be officially opened at noon today by NSW Deputy Premier, Minister for Trade and Investment and Minister for Regional Infrastructure and Services, Andrew Stoner.
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The siding has been developed and constructed by the owner of the Blayney SeaLink industrial complex Mr George Tanos.
It is part of a $74 million SeaLink development and the largest privately owned rail siding in the state, with a combined length of around four kilometres. Planning for the siding took 12 years and construction has taken two years.
The siding forms part of key external infrastructure for expansion of the Newcrest’s Cadia East Gold and Copper mine, south-west of Blayney. Newcrest is Australia’s largest gold producer.
The Blayney SeaLink site features a huge cold store warehouse complex servicing multi-national food manufacturers.
“The project had its beginnings with my goal to attract product onto rail to get greater transport efficiency with both imports and exports to service regional manufacturing plants,” SeaLink owner, Mr Tanos said.
“However, when Newcrest announced the expansion of their Cadia East gold mine, I made a presentation to their management to locate their new gold concentrate plant at SeaLink and take advantage of a rail siding to take larger trains.”
It is unusual for such a large infrastructure project to be built without government assistance. However, both state and federal governments have recognised the importance of the SeaLink initiatives as key regional development by contributing to other local infrastructure.
“I am grateful for the government support I have received which will allow my organisation to continue our program of expansion while creating more job opportunities for the local community,” Mr Tanos said. “The rail siding was constructed for Blayney SeaLink by Rhomberg Rail Australia and local Bathurst firm, UTS Rail. Despite the very wet conditions last year, the project was completed on time and budget. The project incorporates new, sophisticated, computerised signalling and has been built to the main line standard.”
