Western Sydney International Airport has taken another major step towards full operations, with Qantas Freight commencing regular domestic services from its new freight terminal. The milestone marks the beginning of the Qantas Group’s long-term presence at Western Sydney International and puts the airport’s purpose-built, 24-hour Cargo Precinct into operation ahead of the first passenger flights on 25 October.
Robert Bird Group has supported the delivery of Qantas Freight’s new 24,000 m² facility since 2024, providing structural and construction engineering for the commercial fit-out and specialist freight-handling infrastructure.
Working with Built and Lödige Australia, our team designed the office and amenity structures, together with the bespoke Unit Load Device (ULD) racking and associated mezzanine that support the terminal’s automated material-handling system. The racking provides around 600 storage positions, with capacity to accommodate up to 4,000 tonnes of freight.
Each ULD can weigh six and a half tonnes. An automated crane moves through the 5 storey high racking structure to place and retrieve the containers. The automated crane imposed lateral loading on the structure which resulted in strict serviceability requirements which were met by a detailed non-linear analysis of the structure.
Delivering a highly automated fit-out within a warehouse designed and constructed by others required close coordination throughout design and construction. Robert Bird Group developed detailed structural documentation, refined the framing as base-build information developed and remained involved on site through installation.
That combination of detailed design and practical construction support helped Built and Lödige integrate complex automated systems within the base building and deliver a high-quality, purpose-built facility for Qantas Freight.
With freight now moving through Western Sydney International, it is rewarding to see a project our team has supported for more than two years become part of the airport’s first chapter of operations.