featured image for NZ$3b investment to create NZ’s largest inland port in Otago

Previous Article

NZ$3b investment to create NZ’s largest inland port in Otago

2 June 2025

A $3 billion privately funded development in Otago is set to create New Zealand’s largest inland port, in a move expected to future-proof South Island freight logistics and significantly boost export capacity for the region’s primary industries.

The Milburn Quadrant development, located north of Milton, will span more than 200 hectares, including a 55-hectare inland port directly connected to State Highway 1 and the South Island’s main trunk rail line. Already zoned for heavy industrial use, the site will require no public infrastructure investment.

It comes as Dunedin’s Port Otago, currently the country’s sixth-largest seaport by export volumes, is facing capacity constraints.

The new development aims to provide an alternative to ease pressure on the port and support sectors such as forestry, dairy and aquaculture. Mark Johnston, land and delivery manager at Calder Stewart, the developer behind Milburn Quadrant, says the facility would act as a “pressure relief valve” to alleviate storage constraints at Port Chalmers.

Source: Transporttalk

Previous Article

More Posts from Issue

FIEA unveils programme for Environmental Forestry 2025/26

Note: Dates changed to: 23-24 March 2026, Rotorua, New Zealand FIEA has announced the official programme for its highly anticipated Environmental Forestry 2025/26 conference. Shaped by significant input from industry leaders, Scion, MPI, and past delegates, the conference will run ...

NZ facts & figures now available for 2023/24

The 2023/24 Facts and Figures publication is produced annually by the New Zealand Forest Owners Association (NZFOA), providing the latest data and insights from across New Zealand’s forest growing sector. It includes planted forestry highlights, ownership and forest management information, deforestation trends, export and production statistics, health and safety data and supplementary information such ...

Residues2Revenues 2025 – expressions of interest

The Residues2Revenues event is back, and will run on 21-22 October 2025 in Rotorua, New Zealand. Last year saw a record turnout, with over 200 attending from across forest management, harvesting, log cartage, and wood processing & manufacturing operations. Demand ...

NZ Govt backs commercial forestry with practical changes

The Government is taking firm action to ensure commercial forestry – one of New Zealand’s most productive and sustainable export sectors – is not stifled by red tape and inconsistent council rules Minister of Forestry Todd McClay announced today. Public ...

World-leading gene editing research

Scion has launched the world’s first field trial of gene-edited conifer as part of research aimed at improving wood quality and producing materials to support New Zealand’s bioeconomy. The Crown Research Institute has developed and implemented an advanced gene-editing technique ...

Competitiveness & sustainability in the B.C. forest sector

The B.C. forest sector plays a critical role in the provincial economy, providing family-supporting jobs across urban, rural and Indigenous communities, while operating under a robust sustainable forest management regime. However, the sector is facing serious challenges, including declining wood ...

Mitigating bushfires: How AU & US towns are reducing risk

There have been many bushfires that have had major impacts on towns and cities, indeed many that were bushfire disasters. However, there have been many cases where prescribed burning, mechanical treatments/thinning, active management options and grazing have resulted in reduced impacts on towns ...

Polish scientists to create ‘world’s first’ forestry robot

Polish scientists are working alongside an international team to create a forestry robot capable of inventorying trees, counting animals, collecting ticks and scouring the forest floor for archaeological nuggets. The project, which is a world first, has been jointly undertaken ...

Next-gen tree planting tracker’s global rollout

In an announcement set to resonate with forestry operations worldwide, the next evolution of the STA logger—known as the STA Explorer—is due to launch in late 2025. Designed to bring more precision, flexibility, and ergonomic efficiency to field-based tree planting ...