Two Australian States Update Five-Year Freight Plan for the Green Triangle

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On October 8, Victoria and South Australia jointly released the 2026 edition of the Green Triangle Freight Action Plan, setting out priorities for upgrading the region's road and cross-border freight network over the next five years. The plan covers an area of more than 6 million hectares at the border of the two states, focusing on expanding access for high-productivity heavy vehicles, improving freight connections between industrial production sites and ports, and advancing capacity improvements on major roads and bridges.

This round of planning involves major freight corridors such as the Princes Highway and the Glenelg Highway, focusing on addressing issues such as restricted access for high-load vehicles, insufficient bridge load capacity, and inconsistent last-mile access conditions at industrial facilities. The Australian Logistics Council has asked the two state governments to clearly identify priority road and bridge projects, corresponding funding sources, responsible agencies, and delivery dates, and to list already-implemented project investments separately from future new funding commitments.

The Green Triangle is a major softwood plantation and timber processing region in Australia. Its regional freight network handles the transport of logs, sawn timber, woodchips, agricultural products, and mineral products, and connects to logistics nodes such as the Port of Portland. Local freight demand also involves wind farm projects, mineral sands development, dairy, and agricultural production. The plan will expand the reach of high-productivity transport vehicles and coordinate road access, heavy vehicle permits, and transport regulatory arrangements between the two states.

For key corridors, the plan proposes assessing bridge load limits, road pavement conditions, and route geometry, while also improving alternative transport routes when major roads are disrupted. Rail transport is also included in the regional freight system, with the approximately 172-kilometer Maroona–Portland rail upgrade having previously received an AUD 150 million investment commitment from the Australian Federal Government, aiming to increase the maximum axle load from 19 tonnes to 23 tonnes and raise the maximum operating speed to 80 km/h. This rail funding is an existing commitment and cannot be counted as new investment under this action plan.

The Australian Logistics Council has called for the establishment of a cross-border joint implementation schedule listing key infrastructure projects, regulatory reforms, responsible agencies, and implementation progress indicators. The South Australian Government also plans to launch a Limestone Coast regional planning study in early 2027, using transport demand data collected through this freight action plan to carry out follow-up work.