Industry is racing to shift operations to Perth’s largest new industrial precinct – the Muchea Industrial Park – after snapping up 10 hectares, or 85% of available land, at this brand-new freight gateway to the State’s North.

Only two lots remain uncommitted across Stages 1 and 2 of the Muchea Industrial Park, an unconstrained and accessible large-scale general industry precinct that has been developed by Harvis just 35 minutes’ drive north of Perth’s CBD.

Strategically located at the end of the just completed $1 billion NorthLink WA extension of Tonkin Highway to Muchea, Muchea Industrial Park forms the northern gateway for freight moving from Perth to the State’s mining, oil and gas and agriculture regions as well as for cargoes heading to the metropolitan area.

Muchea Industrial Park enables companies to bypass Perth’s heavily congested industrial suburbs, with unprecedented freeway access between Perth’s core industrial suburbs and the Mid West and the Pilbara.

BP Australia’s truck refuelling and service stop, one of the largest in Western Australia, is already fully operational at the entrance to the Muchea industrial Park.

Prominent WA family owned fund manager Lester Group has become the latest player to join Muchea Industrial Park after acquiring three lots covering a total 4.1ha, underpinned by a new Elders Limited branch with prime frontage and seamless road train access.

Both Lester Group and Elders seized upon the opportunity to snap up dual road-frontage positions that provide direct road train access on the newly constructed Mercury Rise estate entry road.

The rapid take-up of fully serviced lots across Stages 1 and 2 at Muchea Industrial Park comes less than a year since Harvis commenced earthworks and began marketing the precinct to prospective tenants.

Since then, the Federal and State Governments have completed the NorthLink WA project and accelerated work on the $275 million Bindoon Bypass, the 66km final link to upgrade the Great Northern Highway south from Wubin to Muchea to cater for 53m triple road trains.

The massive investment in this critical road infrastructure has already led to a significant removal of heavy vehicle movements from the Swan Valley tourism and hospitality region, with Main Roads WA able to take Great Northern Highway off the Restricted Access Vehicle (RAV) network and restricting truck access north of Middle Swan.

Harvis managing director Kelvin Flynn welcomed Lester Group and Elders to Muchea Industrial Park and said these latest deals were further reward for the foresight shown by the State and Federal Governments to drive vital transport and infrastructure investment in Perth’s north.

“We are delighted with the strong business sector support behind Muchea Industrial Park as the new freight gateway to the State’s North,” Mr Flynn said.

“The scale and diversity of operators and property investors who have joined us at Muchea Industrial Park is impressive and testament to the underlying strength of the local business sector – and its ability to help the State Government drive WA’s COVID-19 recovery.

“Muchea Industrial Park is the most accessible, large-scale industrial precinct north of Perth, within an hour’s drive of all of the city’s major industry and business hubs, and under 30 minutes to Perth Airport. Our park’s tenants will benefit from world-class road infrastructure and logistics access with large-format lots in support of the State’s most critical industries.”
Lester Group executive director Adrian Lester said the acquisition of the three lots at Muchea Industrial Park was consistent with his company’s focus on prime industrial properties that could deliver strong long-term returns.

“We’re excited about securing 4ha of prime industrial land at the nexus of Tonkin, Brand and Great Northern Highways,” Mr Lester said.

“The site’s strong exposure and great access to the WA Government’s $1 billion NorthLink extension is a unique opportunity to leverage industry servicing the State’s northern mining and agricultural sectors.

“It is only a matter of time before the State’s major logistics operators realise the benefits of operating from this location. We have moved quickly because we are confident the estate will continue to gain momentum and attract strong and reputable businesses.”

Elders’s General Manager Western Zone, Nick Fazekas, said the strategic position of Muchea Industrial Park adjacent Brand and Great Northern Highways provided a great location for his clients, who already frequented the Muchea cattle yards, and would serve as another footprint for Elders clients in the Bindoon and Chittering region.

“Agricultural customers and the general public will be welcome to drop into Elders Muchea directly and have access to all of our traditionally stocked product lines,” Mr Fazekas said.

“Elders Muchea will look at the feasibility of seven-day trading to cater for the growing lifestyle farming communities in the area. The proximity to the Muchea WAMIA Livestock Saleyards and CBH’s future Muchea grain terminal with easy road train accessibility make Elders Muchea a convenient and operationally efficient location for our customers.”

Mr Fazekas said that having traditionally serviced the greater northern region from the Elders Midland base, the RAV7 road train access and future RAV10 road train capability at the Muchea Industrial Park aligned Elders’ operations with the State Government’s policy to reduce truck numbers entering the Swan Valley and the Midland town centre.

In addition to Elders, Lester Group and BP, Muchea Industrial Park has welcomed a number of industry leading businesses, predominantly in the civil construction industry, which have collectively acquired a further 3.5ha of land.

Ultimately, Muchea Industrial Park will encompass a 150ha purpose-built precinct to service light and heavy industry.

This new precinct – the largest of its kind in development across Perth – adjoins the Muchea Road Train Assembly Area and Tonkin Hwy Muchea interchange, servicing the State’s critical high-wide-load truck corridor, and providing future direct access for 53m triple road trains travelling north of Muchea on Great Northern Highway.

The opening of Tonkin Highway to Muchea has changed the dynamics of Perth’s eastern industrial core and how the State’s North can be efficiently serviced from the metropolitan area.

Mining, agricultural and logistics focused businesses can now locate closer to their strategic operations or customer bases in the State’s northern regions, enjoying access to the full labour force and talent pool of Perth while avoiding the time and expense of transporting large equipment and freight through an already constrained metropolitan road network.

Harvis is working closely with the Shire of Chittering to coordinate the staged development of Muchea Industrial Park, generating unprecedented local investment and employment opportunities as well as regional economic benefits.