Published: 05 Nov 2021

Timaru being selected as the home of the Scott Base build is an incredible opportunity for the district said Mayor Nigel Bowen.

Timaru’s Prime Port has been selected to be the main build site of the $344 million project to rebuild New Zealand's home in Antarctica, Scott Base.

Celebrating the announcement, Timaru District Mayor Nigel Bowen said that the city’s port had offered the perfect mix of facilities and access to engineering talent to help the Government successfully deliver this major project.

“We couldn’t be more pleased about today’s announcement, this is a massive vote of confidence in the Timaru District and our ability to play our part in delivering these large scale projects,” he said.

“Timaru’s Prime Port is a resilient, well-resourced and well connected port which has the room to grow, and we knew it would be the perfect home for this kind of project.

“There is knowledge, skills and talent throughout Canterbury that can be harnessed to help deliver the new long term home for Aotearoa in the Ross Dependency.”

The project involves the fabrication of the buildings and a new windfarm prior to their shipping to Antarctica. Estimates show there will be 170 jobs involved at the peak of the construction, and more than 700 jobs over six years.

As part of the project, Timaru District Council will invest $1.5 million to upgrade essential port infrastructure.

“This is a unique and high profile project that will showcase Timaru both nationally and internationally and will have massive direct and downstream benefits for our local community.

“Investment in port infrastructure to support bringing this project to our district was an obvious decision for our council.

“This project will bring millions of dollars of investment into our community, benefiting everyone from trades and subcontractors to accommodation and hospitality, and also offering education and cultural opportunities for our community.

“Watching an Antarctic research station take shape on our doorstep will be a fascinating process, and we know our community will take pride in knowing that we’ve contributed our bit to the decades of innovative climate science that Scott base will deliver.

“I’d like to take the time to acknowledge the huge amount of work that PrimePort and Venture Timaru have done to help us get to where we are.

“This is a district with endless potential, and with this amazing project we get the opportunity to show the world just what Timaru can do.”

Last updated: 05 Nov 2021