SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA — GrainCorp has completed an A$5 million ($3.26 million) upgrade to its grain receival facility at Burren Junction in northern New South Wales, adding 100,000 tonnes of new capacity with harvest underway.

The project expanded onsite storage with four new bunkers and an extension of the existing bunker, which allows the site to better handle large volumes, GrainCorp said. The Burren Junction site handles wheat and chickpeas.

With more space, an expected uptick in traffic volume has been met with the construction of a new truck marshalling yard that can handle up to 54 road trains. This new area will help alleviate traffic congestion on the Kamilaroi Highway, providing safer conditions for truck drivers and the local community.

“This initiative will not only streamline operations for truck drivers but also enhance the overall customer experience by reducing wait times,” said Stan Gaynor, project manager, GrainCorp. “With the new marshalling yard, new additional sample stand, and two new additional weighbridges, we’re committed to easing bottlenecks and improving efficiency.”

To support the upgrades, existing infrastructure also is being improved, including enhancements to amenities for the site teams and truck drivers, GrainCorp said. New power connections and upgrades to the site’s entry intersection are also underway to further smooth operations.

GrainCorp operates the largest grain storage and handling network on the east coast of Australia, with more than 150 regional receival sites and seven bulk port terminals. The company stores and markets wheat, barley, canola, sorghum and specialty commodities.

With harvest for marketing year 2024-25 in full swing, GrainCorp said the completion of the Burren Junction upgrades announced Nov. 7 were well-timed. In its Nov. 18 harvest report, GrainCorp said its New South Wales sites had received a total of 4.5 million tonnes of grain so far.