The Australian Logistics Industry
Australia is one of the major contributors to important services in the field of transportation as well as logistics in the whole world.
The logistics sector in Australia has an annual revenue of roughly $102.87 billion, with an operating profit of $10.14 billion in 2018.
Over one million people are employed in the Australian transportation and logistics, with the state of Queensland, as the second largest state in Australia, playing a huge role in that number.
The Australian logistics industry provides crucial services to three of the top four industries in Australia, mining (9.6 percent), construction (7.4 percent), and manufacturing (7.4 percent).
It’s clear the history of Australian logistics looks different to how operations used to be. From camels to unsustainable refrigerated storage practices
In this article, we will explore a few interesting facts about the Australian logistics industry:
1. One Of The First Kind Of Refrigerated Containers Came From Western Australia
The Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences states, “The Coolgardie safe was a piece of domestic equipment widely used in Australia before refrigeration to preserve perishable food in summer. It was an Australian invention used especially in country areas from the 1890s until the mid 20th century. Before electricity came to Australia, farmers needed to utilize a product known as Coolgardie Safe.”
This low-tech food container prolonged the life of vegetables, meat, fruit, as well as other food products through the procedure of heat transfer and the evaporation of water.
Coolgardie Safe was invented in a little mining town of Coolgardie in Western Australia.
Since the early days of supply chain, refrigeration has radically evolved with the help of better, trucking software, transport management systems, warehousing and cooling technologies.
2. Camels Were Used As Carriers In Queensland
In the 1900s, camels were animals to transport goods across long distances, as they had a higher tolerance to heat than horses as well as the ability to travel for longer distances without water.
Camels once dominated early transport across Australia helping to transport goods to remote places all over the country.
The ABC Australia states, ““The cameleers opened lines of supply, transport and communication between isolated settlements, making the economic development of arid Australia possible. They also enriched the cultural landscape.”
The use of camels for transport in Australia has been changed with the power of trains, planes and trucks, which service remote areas across the nation.
3. Food Worth Of A $5.2 Billion In A Year Is Being Thrown Away In Australia
As per the Australian Cold Chain Guidelines, $5.2 billion, involving more than $1.1 billion worth of fruit or vegetables as well as $872.5 million worth of fresh meat or fish are being thrown away due to a lack of sufficient cold food storage and transport.
The Food Bank states, “Australian households throw away 2.5 million tonne’s of edible food each year – that equates to nearly 300 kilograms per person! The average Australian household is sends roughly 4.9 kilograms of food waste to landfill each week.”
Unlike many other Australian states, Queensland is leading the way when it comes to cold storage and transport. Through refrigerated transportation logistics, Queensland is capable of supplying meats, fruits, beverages, and any perishable goods in local supermarkets or restaurants within the state and the rest of the country.
