Freight
Chapter 4
Freight transport activity (Figures 9 and 10) is measured in terms of tonne kilometres (the number of tonnes moved by a vehicle multiplied by the distance the load travelled in kilometres). The Australian domestic freight task has experienced strong growth over the last 40 years, with road and rail freight now dominating domestic freight activity.
- Melbourne had the most metropolitan road freight estimated at 17.8 billion tonne-kilometres in 2023–24.
- NSW's estimated road freight for 2023–24 was the highest on record at 86 billion tonne-kilometres.
Figure 9 shows a map of Australia's major domestic freight flows by transport mode. Line and arrow thickness indicate the volume of freight carried on each route, not the value of freight or performance of supply chains. The map shows that the highest volume domestic freight route is iron ore transported by rail in the Pilbara region. This next largest individual flow is coal carried by rail in Central Queensland and the Hunter Valley, followed by bauxite shipped from Weipa and Gove to Gladstone.
Figure 9 Australia's Freight Flows Map
Figure 10 Australian domestic freight task, by mode of transport
The Australian domestic freight task (Figure 2) has experienced strong growth over the last 40 years, with road and rail freight now dominating domestic freight activity.