QUBE Logistics will vacate Horsham’s Mill Street Terminal site by the end of the month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The business will move to a road-based freight centre at Dooen.
Qube Logistics began operations at the Mill Street site in November last year, despite plans for the freight terminal to be decommissioned.
Horsham North residents have been pushing for the terminal’s closure since the Wimmera Intermodal Freight Terminal opened at Dooen last year.
Qube’s lease will expire on Thursday.
Horsham Mayor David Grimble said it was a good outcome for council and the community.
“We now have some certainty about the site and can confirm that the intermodal activity will be removed from the site,” he said.
“It’s unfortunate an agreement between Qube and Wimmera Container Line could not be reached, but we assured residents that we would work hard to ensure Qube’s lease wasn’t extended, which is what has happened.”
Terminal owner VicTrack has confirmed that the site will not operate as a freight terminal after the lease expires.
Cr Grimble said council would now explore options for the site’s future.
“We’ve spoken to VicTrack and they will work with our vision about where we want to see the site go,” he said.
“But we also want input from the community about what development opportunities that site might have.
“I have proposed that we host a public meeting to explain the history of what’s happened at the site and to initiate discussions about what could happen in the future.
“Council needs to hear what the community’s aspirations are.”
He said possible redevelopment could be costly.
“One thing we have to contend with is that it’s a contaminated site so there will be costs to turn the land into something suitable to use,” he said.
Cr Grimble said he hoped Qube could use the Wimmera Intermodal Freight Terminal in the future.
“The big driver behind building the terminal was to put more freight on rail,” he said.
“We encourage opportunity for any freight company to use the terminal – that’s what it was designed for.”
Cr Grimble said Qube now had a contract with Viterra at Dooen.
“In time, the issue between Qube and Wimmera Container Line might resolve itself,” he said.