Australia Post’s Avalon plans to make getting parcels to you quicker

An automated sorting centre capable of sorting 5500 parcels per hour is due to be open at Avalon Airport in July next year. Australia Post has revealed why it will improve deliveries.

An e-commerce boom will see Australia Post spend$10 millionto open an automated parcel sorting facility at Avalon Airport, in a move it says will set up network capacity for the next decade.

A automated parcel sorter set across 2000sq m and imported from Europe will be the centrepiece of the 15,300 sq m facility to be built near Cotton On’s expanding distribution centre.

The facility is expected to open in July next year and be capable of sorting 5,500 parcels an hour but could scale up to 8000 parcels per hour.

Australia Post will set up an automated parcel storing facility at Avalon Airport using a machine from Europe that will cover about 2000 sq m.

Australia Post general manager of network strategy Shane Plant said the facility would provide parcels deliveries to City of Greater Geelong, the Surf Coast Shire and the Borough of Queencliffe but could also service Melbourne’s booming west.

“This is a 10-year decision we are making not a short-term (move) for extra capacity,” Mr Plant said.

“We want to position ourselves to provide great service to the growing population.

“Two of our busiest (e-commerce) postcodes in the country are in the west of the Melbourne. Point Cook is the top suburb for online shopping for the fourth year in a row... Geelong is also well up on the list.”

Artist impression of the 15,000 sq m parcel delivery centre at Avalon expected to open in July next year.

Construction of the facility, that could grow by 7000 sq m if needed, is due to be complete by early next year. Australia Post’s parcel sorting service at Corio will be relocated to Avalon Airport when the facility is fully operational.

Mr Plant said the facility would add capability to the Geelong network for peak times such as Christmas, Boxing Day, and online shopping events like Click Frenzy and Black Friday.

“It is going to give us increase capability... certainly when we experiences spikes. It is going to help us provide better service. When we’re under strain, it is going to minimise the impacts.”

Artist impression of the 15,000 sq m parcel delivery centre at Avalon expected to open in July next year.

When open, the facility will be able to accommodate 100 delivery vans and need about 150 staff including drivers, process workers, administration staff and mail officers.

Mr Plant said Australia Post wanted to set up the facility at Avalon due to the proximity to the airport and because the region was a growth corridor.

“At this point in time we don’t have an arrangement to bring in any product into Avalon Airport but that could be a future capability.

“We would see Avalon at first instance, in the future. as a domestic hub to bring in product from interstate.

“But Avalon does have international (flight) capability so that could be a longer term proposition where it could be somewhere where perhaps international product in brought in and cleared.

“Currently all our international product comes through our gateways in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane or Perth.

“It seems counter-intuitive to have airport (at Avalon) that is available and we’re basing everything out of Tullamarine.

“We want to have some capability, subject to negotiations, to run a domestic air foot print of some scale out of Avalon.”

GEELONG ONLINE SHOPPING

1. Grovedale 3216

2. Torquay 3228

3. Mount Duneed

- Grovedale among top 25 e-commerce postcodes in Australia during FY22

- Mount Duneed purchased 23 per cent more parcels online than the average household in Grovedale.

- eCommerce in Greater Geelong grew 6.6 per cent in FY22, Victoria dropped 2.7 per cent year-on-year

- Women’s fashion and activewear were popular, both grew more than 13.5 per cent in FY 22

- Pet products up 65.8% in FY 22

Originally published as Australia Post’s Avalon plans to make getting parcels to you quicker