Rail transports the largest volume of freight in Australia, carrying over 80% of exported commodities like coal, iron ore, cotton, sugar, grains and rice. Road transportation is the most common method and uses trucks and heavy vehicles to move most goods domestically. Coastal shipping transports 17% of domestic freight, mainly bulk commodities like iron ore and coal between export ports. Air freight carries a small volume of high value, low density goods like electronics, medicines, and newspapers internationally. The Australian government oversees efficient management and planning of the multi-modal freight network connecting domestic and global trade.

1. Pickles Auctions
http://www.pickles.com.au
The Australian Freight
Task Movement

2. The Australian freight task involves movement of different commodities and goods. It
transports bulk export commodities, manufactured goods, machinery, and imported
motor vehicles. The freight task, furthermore, is responsible for delivering finished
products in retail outlets and distribution centres for household consumption.
Shipping and air movements connect the country to the global economy by transporting
commodities and bulk cargo. This is possible through freight nodes linked by rail, road,
air and coastal shipping, serving as a freight transport system.
Rail and Road Freight
Rail carries the largest volume of freight, playing a major role in the transportation of
cotton, sugar, grain and rice for export or processing. Both coal and iron ore dominate
the rail freight, accounting over 80 percent of the overall transport tasks. Other bulks
products such as sugar, grains and fertilisers, meanwhile, account for about 8 percent.

3. While it is true that rail has the largest freight volume, road transportation remains the
most common way of moving majority of the Australian commodities. Road freight
involves the use of trucks or heavy vehicles that weigh 4.5 tonnes or more. There is the
use of articulated trucks or vehicles that have a primer mover towing turntable-
attached trailers, as well as B-double heavy vehicle combinations.
Sea and Air Freight
Coastal shipping helps land freight task, especially in transporting goods and materials
for local and international trade. Sea freight accounts 17 percent of the overall domestic
freight movements, transporting bulk commodities like iron and aluminium ore. Coastal
shipping movements happen in major iron ore and coal export ports, accounting for
about 80 percent of the total export volume.

4. Sources:
 http://www.pickles.com.au/
 https://infrastructure.gov.au/transport/freight/network.aspx
 https://bitre.gov.au/publications/2014/files/Freightline_01.pdf
Air freight, on the other hand, is more suitable for low density and high value
commodities. It is commonly used in transporting newspapers, precious metals and
gemstones, and short-lived products. It shares a small of volume of overall transport
task, accounting less than 0.01 percent of the overall domestic freight movements.
Some of the largest export commodities include computer and medicinal and
pharmaceutical products.
The government has an important role in managing transport networks in the country.
Updates and reliable information about the existing and projected use of the network
is significant for efficient management and planning of the network that serves the
country’s growing freight task.