An $18.79 million renewable hub for all manners of heavy vehicles is set to grace Townsville, with the hope that it will greatly boost the city’s supply chain.
Announced by Queensland deputy premier Steven Miles this week, it will be home to electric and hydrogen-powered truck fleets as well as Australian Defence Force (ADF) heavy vehicles.
Miles says it will be a major opportunity for growth not only in Townsville, but Northern Queensland as a whole.
“The Defence and Hydrogen Maintenance Hub is another exciting opportunity coming to regional Queensland thanks to our state’s clean energy transformation,” Mr Miles said.
“This will be the first North Queensland centre specialising in end-to-end sales, repair and maintenance of clean, green EV and hydrogen heavy transport.
“The hub will put North Queensland and Townsville on the map as a key location for new-generation heavy-vehicle fleets.
“It also reinforces Queensland’s position as Australia’s khaki state offering essential services to support ADF ground transport operations.”
With aims to make a centralised hub in the state for its renewable heavy vehicles, the government says the hub will sell, repair and maintain new-generation EVs and hydrogen vehicles.
It will also ensure a specialised location for ADF vehicles to return to for maintenance and repair.
“The hub will also provide skilled jobs and training for workers in the growing industry of green-fuelled heavy transport,” Miles says.
“This project is supported by the Queensland government’s Industry Partnership Program and aligns with our Queensland new-industry development strategy which is developing the industries that will be in demand as the world decarbonises.
“This is a further step forward for the local hydrogen industry and builds on Queensland government assistance previously provided by the Hydrogen Industry Development Fund (HIDF).”
The government also plans for the hub to support training and skill building for workers within the transport industry, getting them up to speed on renewable transport maintenance.
Construction is currently planned to get underway in late 2024 with an anticipated finish of late 2025.