Australia Post is significantly expanding its footprint across regional and rural New South Wales, announcing plans for six new distribution sites to cater to the relentless growth in online shopping.

The move is a direct response to a surge in e-commerce activity, which data shows is increasingly becoming the preferred shopping method for NSW households.

The new facilities are earmarked for Tumut, Leeton, Deniliquin, Forbes, Casino, and Byron Bay. These purpose-built sites are designed to dramatically enhance parcel processing capabilities, with each expected to handle between 900 and 2,200 parcels per day. This expansion aims to improve service and connectivity across rural and regional communities.

The drive behind this investment is the significant rise in online purchasing. Australia Post data indicates a 2.8 per cent year-on-year increase in online purchases in NSW, with a striking 82 per cent of NSW households now shopping online. 

Regional areas, in particular, are noted as increasingly dependent on e-commerce, partly due to fewer local retail options. 

Australia Post stated that these new sites will help meet this growing parcel demand.

The regional director of Business NSW Riverina Murray, Serena Hardwick, welcomed the news, especially given that three of the new sites will be located in the Riverina region. 

Hardwick highlighted those businesses surveyed previously had identified supply chain issues, and expressed hope that this investment would support those businesses by providing better access. 

She also encouraged regional businesses to seize the opportunities presented by the continued rise in e-commerce, not only for their local market but also to supply customers outside their immediate area.

However, the transition isn't without potential local impact. Edward River Council Mayor Ashley Hall noted that the new Deniliquin site will replace the existing post office hub. 

While acknowledging the overall investment, he described the loss of the original site in the town centre as unfortunate. 

He suggested that moving the facility will probably cause a little bit of disruption for some people who are accustomed to the easily accessible in-town location. 

Mayor Hall also took the opportunity to encourage people in his community to continue supporting local businesses by shopping locally, despite the convenience of online options.

Many of the new sites involve relocating existing operations. 

The current sites in Leeton, Deniliquin, Tumut, Casino, and Byron Bay will move to new greenfield locations.

In Forbes, the new facility will consolidate the current operations from both Parkes and Forbes.

Construction is already underway on the Tumut distribution site, with plans for it to open in late 2025. 

Building work on the other five sites is scheduled to begin in early 2026, with an expected opening towards the end of that year. 

Overall, construction is set to commence later this year and early in 2026