Former Holden factory site gets $500 million investment
The Elizabeth site in South Australia where Holden produced cars for 54 years is set to become a new Australia Post centre, having most recently grown mushrooms.
Holden stopped manufacturing cars in Australia in October 2017, leaving its main plant in Elizabeth, South Australia effectively unused.
That was until 2023 when the Epicurean Food Group (EFG) purchased the factory and used it to briefly grow mushrooms, until later that year when the business went into administration, once again throwing the site into limbo.
Now its future has been secured, with the site of the factory becoming an Australia Post parcel sorting centre, due to open in late 2028.
Dubbed the Adelaide Parcel Super Hub, ground broke on the site this week, with the 83,000 square-metre facility aimed to be able to process approximately 400,000 parcels daily, servicing both Australia Post and StarTrack operations.
According to Australia Post, the facility will “use advanced technology, including autonomous vehicles and robotic pallet movers, to reduce manual handling and improve team member safety”, assisting humans at all stages of the process.
Set to be developed by South Australian developers the Pelligra Group, a total of $500 million has been earmarked for the facility, making it one the largest investment in AusPost’s regional operations.
“This facility will be the blueprint for our most technically advanced facilities, providing greater opportunities for team members to upskill technically, operationally and digitally,” said Australia Post executive general manager network operations, Shane Plant.
“We’ll be looking for roles that support automation and controls, mechanical and electrical and those that can work alongside robotic systems as we continue to modernise our network.”
The Elizabeth factory started operations in 1960, though the first full vehicle built there was made in 1963, with the Holden EH representing a new era for the brand.
Following the closure of Holden’s Dandenong plant in 1989, Elizabeth became the only factory in Australia exclusively producing Holden cars, churning out the likes of the Commodore, Monaro and the Cruze after the Daewoo-based model originally came from South Australia.
Holden itself was wound down at the end of 2020 by General Motors.
Jordan Mulach
The news of the former Holden factory site being turned into a postage hub comes after Ford’s former Broadmeadows Assembly Plant site was announced to become a data centre.
Reported by The Urban Developer in May, the Barry Road site - technically located in Campbellfield, north of Melbourne - is set to be developed into a data centre by Singaporean firm Zerra DC, which has already filed for approval with the Victorian Government.
Documents lodged by Zerra DC in April show the site, located on 300-340 Barry Road, will be home to a “substantial 6-building Data Centre (nested within ‘Utility Installation’) campus and precinct, with ancillary ‘Office’ space”, if approved.
Jordan Mulach
