Moree could become the economic hub in the near future after it was announced on Tuesday it would become a Special Activiation Precinct (SAP).
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Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall joined Moree mayor Katrina Humphries, councillors, local business representatives and community members to announce the exciting news.
About 12 months ago, the state government made a pitch to establish a number SAPs in regional NSW, which are economic zones in country NSW that have economic potential.
"We're going to create a special precinct which is essentially a zone where we want to see business grow and new businesses established to support a major initiative," Mr Marshall said.
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"In Moree's case, it's about Inland Rail and it's about one of the largest intermodal facilities anywhere in inland Australia.
"There is a very bold vision from council and the community that has a lot of support and a lot of players.
"But the missing piece of the puzzle was to get Moree declared a special activation precinct and I'm absolutely delighted to announce this morning that Moree will be only the third special activation precinct anywhere in NSW.
"What this means is that planning processes will be fast tracked and the government will support the development of critical infrastructure in the precinct to the tune of millions and millions of dollars."
In Moree, the SAP will encompass the development of a number of new economic initiatives for the Moree Plains including its intermodal freight and transport hub.
Mr Marshall said that the SAP will help create around 2000 full time jobs in Moree.
"If this precinct is fully developed as I have every expectation that it can be and it will be, we will see an economic boom that this community has not seen really since the '70s when Copeton Dam was built and this area was opened up for irrigation," he said.
"This is the second, I guess, economic revolution for this community and will establish this community as not just an agricultural powerhouse of Australia and of this region but importantly an economic powerhouse."
Mrs Humphries said that it's been a long journey to get to this point and wanted to thank everyone who has contributed to this achievement.
"I hope that everybody remembers today for exactly what it is; it's a turning point of the north west and it's a turning point of not only the Moree Plains Shire but of Moree and this is the stuff that dreams are actually made of," she said.
"I'd like to thank the state government and particularly Adam, because Adam has been our friend with this.
"Adam has put the faith in us, Adam has worked with us, he's believed in us."
Mrs Humphries acknowledged all the growers, rate payers, the Aboriginal Land Council and the rest of the community who have supported this project.
"This is state, this is federal with the Inland Rail, this is lands council, this is Moree Plains council, this is our rate payers, this is our investors. This is just a wonderful, wonderful day and I hope that everyone sees it for what it is," she said.
"We've had wonderful community support. I thank all our community that have turned up today. I thank fellow councillors for having a vision and the state government, it's been pretty good. Our relationship has been wonderful.
"I don't know if this is the end of one stage and the start of a new stage or just the start of a whole new world but we're here for the long haul and bring it on."
Mr Marshall paid tribute to Moree Plains Shire Council for all their hard work in making this dream a reality.
"This council has done an absolutely amazing job in having a vision, corralling not just everyone within the council, the business community that have been incredibly supportive, but also some of the major agricultural players that are based in Moree to make sure that we as a community put forward a proposition that meant that this place would be the economic hub, not just for agricultural production but for agricultural logistics in the north west, in fact in northern NSW," Mr Marshall said.
"Today's announcement and the intermodal that will follow, the business that will follow will truly mean that when inland rail comes through all roads will lead to Moree, and I don't say that lightly.
"All roads will lead to Moree."
