Australia Post invests in Ballarat as local parcel volumes grow by 80 per cent

Built to accommodate parcel volume growth in the region, the modern 13,024m² centre will improve turnaround times and help process more than 8,000 parcels a day and up to 20,000 during peak periods like Christmas. The new parcel delivery centre has been built with future expansion in mind. The Ballarat centre will introduce the latest in automated parcel sortation technology, which will be installed early next year.

The new parcel sorter will have the ability to sort a further 3,000 parcels per hour, boosting the site’s overall capacity. The automation will also reduce manual handling and improve safety for team members. Replacing two former temporary delivery centres at Bakery Hill and Wendouree, the larger, consolidated centre provides Australia Post team members with indoor space to load their vans and get parcels efficiently on the road to customers. Australia Post Executive General Manager Network Operations, Rod Barnes, said the multi-milliondollar investment into Ballarat and its surrounds including Birchip, Kaniva, Maryborough, and Daylesford, reflects Australia Post’s commitment to improving services for the community.

“As one of Victoria’s biggest regional cities, we’ve seen parcel delivery volumes increase by 80 per cent over the past three years, with data indicating that four in five Ballarat households are now shopping online1”.

“We expect this trend to continue, as the needs of local and other eCommerce businesses grow. Our new centre will enable faster parcel processing and turnaround times, getting deliveries to customers’ doors sooner,” Mr Barnes said.

Minister for Infrastructure and Member for Ballarat, Hon Catherine King MP, who officially opened the new parcel deliver centre, said Australia Post’s latest investment was a vote of confidence in the future of Australia Post in regional Victoria.

“Australia Post and its hardworking staff have been at the heart of the Ballarat community since our first Post Office opened in a tent in Golden Point way back in 1851.

“This investment will give local Ballarat workers the facilities they deserve, as well as helping ensure our parcels and letters arrive safely and on time.

The new centre will accommodate approximately 160 Australia Post team members in the region. Recruitment for Australia Post’s peak period in the lead up to Christmas will commence soon with casual jobs available for interested locals.

Source: Australia Post