The manufacturing facility of Volgren in Eagle Farm continues to play a key role in local transport innovation, producing buses that support public transport across the city.
Read: Eagle Farm Racecourse Faces Urgent Redevelopment Deadline
The site was in the spotlight this week as Treasurer Jim Chalmers, alongside Ministers Anika Wells and Murray Watt, visited the facility to discuss economic updates and the future of Australian manufacturing.
Volgren’s Eagle Farm site, which has been in operation since 2010, spans 2.65 hectares and produces around 150 buses each year. It supplies vehicles primarily for Council but also works with other clients. The facility plays an important role in local employment, supporting skilled jobs in the manufacturing sector.
Minister Wells highlighted the impact of businesses like Volgren on local workers and industries. “It’s always great to be home and here at Volgren, where for the past 15 years in part of our manufacturing hub here on the Northside, Volgren has been not just helping commuters get to places on public transport but providing great secure jobs for auto electricians, for welders, for spray painters who live and love working here on the northside of Brisbane,” she said.
During the visit, Treasurer Chalmers also addressed broader economic developments, including the Reserve Bank of Australia’s (RBA) recent interest rate cut. “We welcome the news that interest rates are being cut in Australia. This is the rate relief that Australians desperately need and deserve after all of the progress that we’ve made together on inflation,” he said.
Chalmers also noted positive wage growth trends, with data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) showing five consecutive quarters of real wage increases. “What the data shows is that we have now had 5 consecutive quarters of wages growing above inflation in Australia under the Albanese Labor government. The last quarter, the December quarter 2024, showed real wage growth. So, wages growing above inflation by 0.5 per cent. And if you look at the whole year of 2024, we saw real wage growth of 0.8 per cent, leading to 5 consecutive quarters of real wage growth in Australia,” he added.
Read: Interest Builds as Former Albion Flour Mill Site Hits the Market
Volgren’s Brisbane site is part of a broader push to strengthen Australia’s manufacturing sector, particularly in sustainable transport. With increasing demand for locally made buses, facilities like the Eagle Farm plant are expected to remain central to the industry’s growth.
The Eagle Farm facility is one of several sites operated by Volgren across Australia, supporting both local jobs and the country’s transition to more efficient public transport solutions.
Published 21-February-2025
