BP and Sirona Capital have signed a multi-million dollar agreement for BP to be one of the first investors in Muchea, a new industrial area north-east of Perth.
BP has secured a 2.5 hectare site, which is located about 43 kilometres from Perth on the Great Northern Highway along a popular route for long-haul trucking customers travelling between Perth and regional areas in north-west Australia and Darwin.
The area has strong links to Western Australia’s northern regions for mining, oil and gas, and agricultural goods and services and has “significant potential for growth” according to BP Australia’s vice president – sales and marketing, Mike McGuinness.
“BP plans to build a service centre and truck-stop on the land to add to our extensive network of over 280 truck-friendly sites, the largest truck network in Australia,” Mr McGuinness said.
The BP site will feature a full range of facilities such as a heavy vehicle canopy for fuelling large, long-haul trucks, extensive truck parking, a convenience store, restaurant, showers and laundry facilities.
There will also be a light vehicle canopy for fuelling cars, 4WDs and small commercial vehicles. With an expected cost of around $15 million, the site is expected to open by 2019, and will provide a safe resting stop at a highly convenient location at the intersection of three major roads including the Great Northern Highway, the re-aligned Brand Highway and the Perth-Darwin highway which is also expected to be completed in 2019.
Sirona Capital, a specialist independent private equity and corporate advisory firm based in Perth, is leading the development of the new industrial area. Sirona plans to develop a total of 150 hectares of land, which has recently been rezoned from rural to industrial.
Kelvin Flynn, managing director of Sirona Capital, said: “We are delighted BP shares our vision for this strategic link in Western Australia’s freight transport infrastructure and is bringing this to life by being part of our Northern Gateway Industrial Precinct.”
“Our development strategy for Muchea will help to reduce direct input costs for the agricultural and resources sectors, particularly with the proposed development of a road train assembly nearby,” Mr Flynn said.
BP has recently invested more than $40 million into the state’s first travel centres, BP Baldivis South and North on the Kwinana Freeway. Officially opened last month, these dual state of the art centres are fully equipped with facilities for truck drivers and forecast to service more than 9000 customers daily.
