Adelaide’s Airport Junction groundbreaking kicks off next phase of freight and logistics precinct works

New freight facilities progress; Industry leaders back growth

Adelaide Airport has officially launched the next phase of its Airport Junction with a groundbreaking to kick off the latest works on the new freight and logistics precinct.

Adelaide Airport’s Managing Director, Brenton Cox, and Infrastructure and Transport Minister, Joe Szakacs, were joined by industry and project partners to launch the commencement of precinct subdivision works.

Airport Junction is Adelaide Airport’s flagship freight and logistics precinct, strategically located adjacent the runway and key road freight networks, enabling runway-to-road access in less than four minutes. Once fully developed, the precinct, with a project value of about $250 million, will support South Australia’s growing freight task and create up to 1,800 jobs, reinforcing Adelaide Airport’s role as a key economic engine for the state.

Adelaide Airport is progressing the design of new purpose-built air-freight facilities for key partners, including Menzies Aviation, Airway and dnata.

The new expanded facilities build on the presence of established logistics operators within Airport Junction, including FedEx and DHL, and position the precinct to support record growth in high-value air freight as Adelaide Airport’s route network continues to expand.

Quotes attributable to Adelaide Airport Managing Director, Brenton Cox:
“Airport Junction is a game-changer for Adelaide’s freight and logistics sector and is central to supporting the state’s trade, export and supply chain growth.

This is one of the most significant inner-metropolitan development opportunities in Adelaide in the past 20 years, offering seamless access to our airside areas and off-airport freight network. You can’t get your freight any closer to the runway without being on a plane.

The precinct enhances South Australia’s export capabilities, enabling more direct international shipments rather than relying on interstate ports like Sydney and Melbourne. This reduces pressure on national road networks and strengthens supply chain resilience.”

Quotes attributable to Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Joe Szakacs:
“Airport Junction is a major investment in South Australia’s freight and logistics future, creating the infrastructure needed to support growing trade volumes.

South Australia’s air exports continue to go from strength to strength with more international routes departing through Adelaide Airport, providing greater connections to global markets.

This precinct will help ensure South Australian exporters can move their products to customers around the world more efficiently and competitively, creating local jobs and strengthening our supply chain.”

Quotes attributable to Property Council South Australian Chief Executive, Bruce Djite:
“Airport Junction is a key strategic and development-ready project, that will deliver critical industrial land supply in a market crying out for this asset-class.

Every hectare of developed industrial land in South Australia supports around 90 jobs and contributes more than $13M in Gross State Product, which makes Airport Junction a significant economic contributor to the state.

“Adelaide Airport once again is showing the significant economic role it plays in delivering growth, jobs and opportunities for the state.”

Quotes attributable to Menzies Aviation General Manager Cargo (Vic/SA/Tas), Clayton Williams
“For Menzies Aviation, Airport Junction has been a long-anticipated development, so we’re excited to see the next phase of works get underway. This precinct will lift the standard of freight handling for the whole industry, not just for Menzies.

Having all stakeholders co-located in one purpose-built precinct will improve efficiency and service for our airline customers and the wider supply chain. We are investing in this precinct because we believe in its long-term value to the state’s freight and logistics sector, and the opportunity it creates to attract new airlines.”

Quotes attributable to Airway Executive GM – Air Freight, Kenth Jacobsen:
“Airway have long been supporters of South Australian producers, by providing airside perishable and general cargo facilities for export and import. Airport Junction locks in this support well into the future.”

Quotes attributable to Managing Director of dnata Airport Operations, Burt Sigsworth:
“Adelaide is an important part of dnata’s Australian cargo network, and Airport Junction represents a timely investment in the infrastructure needed to support the next stage of growth.

As supply chains become more time-sensitive and cargo increasingly requires specialised handling, proximity, capacity and operational reliability are becoming even more critical. This new facility will strengthen our ability to support airline customers, freight partners and South Australian exporters with safe, efficient and scalable services.

Together with Adelaide Airport, we look forward to supporting the continued development of a stronger, more connected freight gateway for the state.”

The proposed new air freight facility for dnata at Airport Junction will significantly expand its cargo handling capability in Adelaide, increasing annual handling capacity from approximately 18,000 tonnes to 50,000 tonnes. The facility will feature fit-for-purpose materials handling equipment and temperature-controlled rooms to support a range of special commodities,
enabling dnata to provide enhanced cargo handling services for airline customers and freight partners.

Adelaide Airport has appointed Leedwell as its exclusive industrial agency partner for Airport Junction, supporting a coordinated, demand-led approach to leasing and precinct delivery.

Quotes attributable to Leedwell Partner, Steve Smith
“Industrial land supply within Adelaide’s inner west remains constrained, with few opportunities for new development of scale. This creates a compelling environment for new projects, with strong under-lying demand from occupiers seeking contemporary, purpose-built facilities that support efficiency, logistics integration and modern operational standards, which is exactly what Airport Junction can accommodate.”

Precinct momentum
The next phase of works includes:

• Construction of precinct services and road infrastructure;
• Delivery of development-ready lots aligned to tenant demand;
• Construction of a new B-double rated bridge; and
• Construction of new purpose-built air freight facilities.

When complete, Airport Junction will deliver approximately 220,000 square metres of strategically located development ready land.

While the precinct is purpose-designed for freight and logistics, Adelaide Airport is also offering land-side industrial lots suitable for complementary uses including warehousing and light industrial operations that benefit from proximity to the airport and transport network.

Adelaide Airport can also accommodate short-term ground lease opportunities for storage and logistics uses in interim periods between developments, providing flexible solutions for operators seeking near-term capacity.

Strategic location, state advantage

Airport Junction’s location within Adelaide Airport provides operators with:

• Direct access to South Australia’s primary aviation gateway;
• Immediate connectivity to the road network, including B-double access; and
•  Proximity to freight terminals, aprons and national distribution routes.

Adelaide Airport currently handles approximately $1.5 billion in air freight annually and supports about 10,000 workers on site each day, making it the largest single employment precinct in South Australia.