Milk milestone faces hurdles

Region needs upgrades to meet export demands

TAKING 300,000 litres of fresh milk from the Darling Downs to China each day is not impossible, but more infrastructure and services around the region are vital if the milestone is to be reached.

Wellcamp airport general manager Sara Hales said some infrastructure upgrades and expansions would be needed to meet the export demands but it would not jeopardise current freight or passenger operations.

“If there was an opportunity for Wellcamp to handle that a day, from an aviation perspective, we are already able to handle that,” she said.

“From a cargo point of view, additional investment in cargo terminal infrastructure would be needed but is not prohibitive.

“We do have the room and the ability to roll out the infrastructure.”

Ms Hales said a recent Cathay Pacific and Menzies Aviation audit found Wellcamp to be among the strongest ports at which the Asian airline operates.

She credited the local cargo team for its efficiency and compliance.

“We have a different offer for the market at Wellcamp than other cargo terminals offer,” she said.

“Because we have such a new operation, a blank sheet, we are able to work with innovative solutions.

“That flexibility is seeing us have some good reliable business for our shippers and viable long-term discussions.

“We have the opportunity because of infrastructure to grow an international logistics community.”

Ms Hales said there had been increased interest in companies wanting to expand the freight sector taking produce from the region to the Cathay jets.

“They know we have established an international freight cargo business,” she said. “There’s a lot more faith now in the cargo business now it’s eight months old and those businesses are actually recruiting and making investments in our region.”

It would be further bolstered by major projects such as the Inland Rail and bypass.

“The delivery of the Inland Rail is vitally important,” she said.

“Toowoomba has the opportunity to position itself as an international logistics hub and to deliver upon that goal, it is essential the Inland Rail happens without delay.”