Werris Creek express: new rail hub nearly complete in just six months

The development was planned, designed and built so quickly, it's impressed everyone involved.

"I'm blow away by what I see here today," Liverpool Plains mayor Andrew Hope said, as he inspected the site on Thursday.

"It was only about six months ago Crawfords approached us with the idea. I welcome the day the first train rolls out of here."

Crawfords Frieghtlines owner Peter Crawford said timber from Nundle State Forest would make up the hub's baseload traffic, and he's already begun negotiations with a number of grain companies.

"It's here for a long time, it's not a flash in the pan," he said.

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"We have a lot of other companies who want to get involved. Even without a good grain season, there would still be at least 100 truck movements a day around here.

"Let's get that freight off the road and on to rail, it's a win-win."

He said the development's miraculously quick timeline came down in large part to Liverpool Plains Shire Council. 

"I deal with other councils and we get slowed up so much by roadblocks and red tapes," Mr Crawford said.

"Liverpool Plains have been outstanding. They were proactive - they've hopped in the car and come along with us."

Cr Hope said his council had to be proactive to compete with the bigger regional hubs.

"If you want to get development in small towns, you've got to be on the front foot," he said.

"We've taken the ethos to work with these companies very closely and pull the impediments out of the way, not put them in the way.

"We really worked hard with our planning department to get this."

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