Crane being used in Simplot upgrade works in West Bathurst

The crane activity at the Eglinton Road site, next door to the Scots All Saints College junior campus and across the road from the Macquarie River, has been a talking point for many of those who live in the vicinity.

The sight of the crane has been particularly striking at night.

The recent activity on Eglinton Road comes after Simplot Australia announced in mid-2022 that it would be investing in an extension of the existing production areas at the Bathurst site and installing new equipment, including what were described as new vegetable processing technologies.

Simplot Australia managing director Graham Dugdale said at the time that the $65 million upgrade would "transform the Bathurst site into a frozen vegetable centre of excellence, enable increased production capacity, and ultimately help boost local and export volumes".

The company also announced in mid-2022 that it would be acquiring new farming land in the Central West valued at $40 million.

In terms of an update on the work at the site, a Simplot spokesperson told the Advocate that there had been two cranes on the site, "but there will only be one on site" from this week.

"They are being utilised in the upgrade works," the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said the upgrade at the West Bathurst site is on track and is scheduled for completion mid-next year.

IT'S not just Bathurst that has been hosting a towering crane.

At Dubbo, a 60-metre tower crane has been used for piling work for the new $220.2 million bridge that is being built over the Macquarie River.

At Parkes, the first of 30 precast girders was lifted into position last month to support a 200-metre long bridge over rail lines as part of the town's Newell Highway bypass project.

And at Orange, a mammoth crane was used to install new air-conditioning at Orange Arcade off Summer Street back in April.