National freight company Northline has established its own depot in Katherine, providing a strategic connection of rail transport with line haul operations to all major capital cities including Darwin.

The new depot opened November 10 at the Katherine Rail Terminal, on the Victoria Highway. The facility creates a local ‘hub’ for road, rail and intermodal operations, providing a full-service presence in Katherine and confirming Northline’s long term commitment to the NT.

The depot is operated for Northline by local transport professionals Roz Nimmo and Leon Gurney. It provides the full range of Northline services including general freight, express freight, Produce, Cars, U-Pack-it and even storage.

With reliable levels of rainfall, northern Australia is emerging as a major fruit and vegetable growing region. During the past five years, the area around Katherine has developed rapidly as a horticultural producer, growing everything from lemons and grapefruit to watermelons, rockmelons and pumpkins.  With good road and rail links, Katherine provides an ideal collection and distribution point for this part of the country, including as far as the Kununurra area of northern WA.

Northline chief operating officer Phillip Taylor said Northline’s presence in Katherine provided local customers with the confidence of safe, cost-effective, reliable and efficient transport services. “Our fully integrated national freight network gives customers the certainty that their product will get to the markets fast and fresh,” he said.

Northline is a national freight company that specialises in servicing remote locations throughout Australia. The privately-owned business employs more than 400 people to provide express freight, general freight, warehousing and mine site services. This year Northline celebrates the 25th anniversary of establishing its first long-haul “lane” connecting Adelaide with the Top End.

Mr. Taylor said the Katherine depot was the latest step to fulfilling Northline’s vision of creating a strategic national network of freight distribution centres.  “We see the NT as an integral part of our freight logistics network,” he said.

“We are pleased to support the local community by carrying in required products and transporting out local produce. By using people from Katherine to operate the Northline depot, we aim to offer the best of both worlds - local knowledge combined with access to an international freight network.”

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