An aerial view of the Deniliquin steel laydown site.
Deniliquin has become a linchpin for delivering affordable, renewable energy in NSW, and the result is local investment in the millions.
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Our town is the distribution and storage hub for Australia’s largest transmission project.
Transgrid and its construction partner Elecnor Australia are delivering the 700km NSW section of EnergyConnect from the South Australian border to Wagga Wagga, creating a vital link to bring cheaper, cleaner energy from South Australia and Victoria to homes and businesses in NSW.
The Deniliquin steel laydown yard was established in 2023 off the Cobb Highway in Deniliquin’s south, behind the Deniliquin Sports & Entertainment Stadium.
It covers 100,000m² and is crucial to storing, handling and distributing nearly 30,000 tonnes of structural steel – about the same amount used to build the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Transgrid general manager of major projects Gordon Taylor said there is a commitment to maximising the social and economic benefits from EnergyConnect for regional communities.
“As well as creating a number of local job opportunities at the Deniliquin laydown yard, I’d like to thank local shops and businesses who graciously host our visiting crews while they’re in town,” he said.
“We’ve had the pleasure of working with more than 13 businesses in Deniliquin since 2023, injecting millions of dollars into the region.
“This includes the team at Caruso Brothers Transport, delivering construction materials, such as tower steel and conductor wire, along the EnergyConnect route between Buronga on the Victorian border and Wagga Wagga.”
The yard will contribute to the construction of about 800 transmission towers stretching from Balranald to the Wagga Wagga substation, and provide equipment deliveries to the new world-class Dinawan substation near Coleambally.
Elecnor Australia logistics superintendent Michael Knights said because of its strategic location, Deniliquin “plays a critical role in making sure the towers that form EnergyConnect are delivered on time”.
“It’s really important we get this right because the closest delivery area we have is a minimum of around an hour and a half away, and the furthest is about three and a half hours.
“So if we don’t get it right, there are quite significant time implications.”
Each day, the yard receives around 100 tonnes of steel – the equivalent of three to four B-double trucks – and sends out an average of 160 tonnes via road trains to smaller on-site laydown facilities.
A dedicated team carefully inspects, logs and prepares every delivery for efficient deployment across the network.
“While it might seem straightforward, delivering from A to B, there’s a lot of moving pieces and a lot of strategy and logistics in the background to ensure that you’ve got the right amount of equipment, resources, and the right people that can deliver your strategy,” Mr Knights said.
What began initially as a modest dirt patch with basic facilities in 2023, the yard has evolved into a state-of-the-art operation featuring:
• a 1,200m² warehouse;
• 90,000m² of hardstand laydown area;
• permanent office accommodation for eight staff; and,
• comprehensive support facilities for 20 rostered team members, four of whom are Deniliquin locals.
“We recognise the importance of the work being undertaken here in Deniliquin,” Mr Taylor said.
“Managing critical materials in a central, efficient facility allows us to better realise the government’s vision for a clean energy future.”
To learn more about EnergyConnect, visit https://www.transgrid.com.au/projects-innovation/energyconnect/.
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