MCU12/0184 - Traffic Engineering Report dated 31 July 2014

3.0      EXISTING OPERATIONS

It is understood that the subject site currently operates as a commercial avocado farm, with
approximately 6,500 trees currently in use.
Based on information provided by the operator, the harvesting window occurs between February
and October, with the intention of only harvesting once a year. In 2014, the harvesting season
occurred between April and July over approximately 73 days.
Vehicle movement numbers were recorded for the 2014 harvest, which includes a daily
breakdown of the existing avocado farm activity. The recorded vehicle numbers and associated
tasks have been tabulated and included in Appendix B.
Currently, during the harvest, daily vehicle numbers range from two (2) to 14 vehicle movements
per day, where the peak vehicle movements generally occur on days when avocados are picked
and packed, and then loaded onto a Large Rigid Vehicle (Austroads Class 4 - 14 pallet truck).
Heavy vehicle movements were recorded on 18 days of the 73-day season, equating to an
average frequency of one (1) truck for every four (4) days of the picking season. No more than
two (2) heavy vehicle movements were recorded on any day in the picking season.
In addition to the above it is noted that the existing cropping activities on the subject site includes
the ability to provide on-site storage for a significant amount of fruit which is able to be pre-cooled
for transport to various destinations nationally and internationally. It is understood that these
facilities allow and the durability of the existing crops allows for the avocados to be picked and
stored for up to 8 weeks prior to distribution from the site. This flexibility provides the ability to
effectively manage the transport of any avocado crop such that the transport of this product via
the external road network does not occur concurrently with the activity periods associated with
the current poultry growing operation.


3.1      TRANSPORT ROUTE
For the existing avocado operation, most vehicles travel along Top Forestry Road, Old Ceylon
Road, and Cooroy Belli Creek Road, as demonstrated in Figure 3-1. Given the nature of sales of
avocados, it is expected that transport route could vary from Cooroy Belli Creek Road, however
assuming that most sales are for major distributers, it is likely that the majority of vehicle
movements associated with the general operation of the avocado farm originate from either
Cooroy township (staff) or the Bruce Highway, North-east of the site.




 Ref: B14101TR001_Final                        - 8 -   Proposed Poultry Farm – 136 Top Forestry Rd, Ridgewood