Wollondilly Council has approved upgrades to the Highway Service Centres at Pheasants Nest that will boost the local economy with the delivery of over 40 new job opportunities.

The proposal is also a win for tourists and regular travellers on the Hume Highway, providing modern facilities, an attractive landscaped area, shaded parking, dog off-leash areas, a truck driver’s lounge, a reconciliation garden and Remembrance Driveway Memorial.

Located approximately 70 kilometres south west of the Sydney CBD, the Pheasants Nest Highway Service Centres are critical pieces of infrastructure and are well known stops for users of the Hume Highway including those driving from Sydney to Melbourne.

They were the first dual Highway Service Centres constructed south of Sydney and, being in excess of 30 years old, currently don’t offer the range of facilities that more contemporary centres provide.

Council has approved a detailed development consent for the design, construction and operation of a new highway service centre.

The DA provides development consent for the following:

• Demolition of all existing structures including fuel storage
• Construction of two new highway service stations, consisting of food tenancies, dining areas, amenities and play areas
• Vehicle parking spaces, including heavy vehicle parking, caravan and bus spaces
• Truck and car refuelling canopies and bowsers
• Indigenous heritage reconciliation gardens and Remembrance Driveway memorial
• Outdoor rest areas and tables
• A fenced off-leash dog park
• Electric vehicle charging stations, with space allocation to potentially provide future hydrogen charging
• Sewerage works (located on the northbound site servicing both locations).

 A truck driver’s lounge area is proposed within both the northbound and southbound centres, including shower and laundry facilities, a kitchenette with microwaves and kettles, charging outlets, lounge seating and relaxation areas, WIFI access (both internal and in the truck parking areas), television facilities and CCTV monitoring of the truck parking area.

The existing northbound and southbound service centres will remain operational 24 hours a day, 7 days a week while the new service centres are being constructed. Once the new facilities are operational, the existing buildings will be de-commissioned and demolished. The expected cost of the development is $49,235,908.