With $8 billion+per year of new income South Australian would be prosperous again!

65 million + tonnes of iron ore per year, worth 8 billion dollars per year is currently waiting for a suitable port. The huge multiplier effect of a new multiuser deep water port and associated rail links would stimulate associated business development, infrastructure and services State wide.

Iron Road, 20 million tonnes high quality iron ore

Cu-River 15 million tonnes, high quality iron ore 

Carpentaria 20 million tonnes of high quality iron ore  

The GFC Alliance transformation project: 10 million tonnes of steel in addition to their current iron ore production.

THE CAPE HARDY PORT COULD BE BUILT NOW!

Cape Hardy has major project status from the State and Federal Governments

•the site is owned by Iron Road Limited and the planning has been done for grain and mineral exports

•listed as a top priority by Infrastructure Australia

•port development is supported by the Eyre Peninsula LGA and the RDB Whyalla and Eyre Peninsula

A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP COULD DO IT NOW!

30 expressions of interest to be a part of the proposed Cape Hardy port have been received from Eyre Peninsula and across the world by the Regional Development Board Whyalla and Eyre Peninsula 

The Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) could build the rail connecting Cape Hardy to the National and Eyre Peninsula networks. ARTC are building 1,700 kilometre of new rail and upgrades, Melbourne to Brisbane with $9.3 billion committed from government and additional funds from private sector partnership, using rails from Whyalla. 

To undertake this additional work now:-

•would provide economies of scale

•get export income flowing quickly

•create jobs in this huge drought effected area.

Connecting Cape Hardy to the National Rail Network would open up the whole of the huge Gawler Craton mineralisation (about the size of Norway) for multibillion dollar development and job creation.

Would connect this modern export port to the whole of Australia

The GFC Alliance at Whyalla could provide the rails  

There are unacceptable costs and dangers resulting from the closure of Eyre Peninsula’s railway network!

•30,000 more B Double/Triple grain truck movements on rural roads and trucks don’t pay fuel tax so who will pay for them?

• traffic accidents and deaths where doctors are few and most ambulances are manned by volunteers

The Australian Rail Track Corporation could also takeover and upgrade the now closed Eyre Peninsula railways and link them to Cape Hardy.

Then lease back to Genesee Wyoming to carry:-

•more grain and hay

•minerals-iron ore, copper, graphite, kaolin clay, mineral sands, gypsum, marble, and jade

•hydrogen from a proposed plant near Port Lincoln

Rail would be fuel and load efficient, much safer and won’t damage roads.

There are significant environmental issues for ports at Port Augusta, Port Pirie and Whyalla in the Upper Spencer Gulf

•dredging for construction and maintenance     •the disposal of the spoil in the gulf

•discharge ballast in the warm, shallow water   •the potential for invasive organisms 

•neap tides, shallow water and little tidal movement

 At risk are:-

•sea grass and mangroves                         •dolphins, giant cuttlefish and cockles

•prawn, oyster and mussel industries      •native fish breeding from loss of habitat

Conclusion

Building a world class, Cape Hardy multiuser deep water mineral port and rail project would:-

•strengthen South Australia’s economy

•have a massive multiplier effect, boosting jobs across the State

•create vital infrastructure

•catch the attention and imagination of people around the world

•enable 8 billion dollars of new Gawler Craton mineral exports immediately, with the potential for much more.

•provide competition to Viterra for existing grain exports.

•minimise port costs and maximise mine viability

•take pressure off Outer Harbour, reduce dredging, enable growth of cruise ship and container businesses 

BHP’s Olympic dam/Roxby Downs in the Gawler Craton region is already directly employing 3,500 people in SA with thousands more indirect jobs and is planning an expansion.

What could another six mining towns and a multiuser deep water port do?

The Port/Rail project on Eyre Peninsula could be the jewel in South Australia’s crown!

 A MASSIVE MULTIPLIER EFFECT

new and upgraded infrastructure, improved services and jobs

•mines, port, railways, upgraded water supplies, power supplies,

•medical services

•educational services - university in Whyalla - TAFE colleges,

•traineeships and apprenticeships,

•housing                                                   •tourism opportunities

•ferry service, Wallaroo/Lucky Bay      •improved air services

Cape Hardy would be the only port in southern Australia able to accommodate the large, modern, environmentally efficient cape size vessels as used in North/Western Australia that would make the export of SA iron ore to distant overseas buyers viable.  The 65 million tonnes/year of minerals currently proposed, could compete in markets domestically and internationally.