Adani Australia today named Rockhampton and Townsville as the company’s joint fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) hubs for the $16.5 billion Carmichael coal project.

The company said the cities had put in strong individual business cases to “fly solo”, but would instead act as twin marshalling points for one of the largest industrial projects in Australia’s recent history.

“After eight years of challenge, the Carmichael Project is under way, signalling the opening of the Galilee Basin which will drive the growth of the emerging Asian ‘Tiger’ economies including India,” Adani Australia chief executive officer and country head Jeyakumar Janakaraj said.

“We continue to face activists but we are under way. Recent attempts by activists to disrupt our operations, and TV programs aimed at undermining community support, have failed.”

Mr Janakaraj said the first activity would be construction of an airstrip close to the mine to deliver construction workers from Townsville and Rockhampton.

“Then we can start construction of the Carmichael thermal coal mine and the western sections of the Carmichael Rail Network,” Mr Janakaraj said.

Townsville City Council and Rockhampton Regional Council will invest more than $30 million in infrastructure at the Carmichael coal mine to service fly-in fly-out (FIFO) workers to the Galilee Basin.

They have each been guaranteed that a third of the project construction workforce (representing more than 1000 jobs) will be drawn from their region in addition to hundreds of ongoing operational roles.

Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill said advice from KPMG indicated the deal would generate $90 million a year in new economic activity for 30 years in Townsville.

Cr Hill said guaranteed ongoing positions included up to 750 FIFO jobs and up to 150 permanent positions at Adani’s Townsville Headquarters, opened earlier this year.

Rockhampton Mayor Margaret Strelow described the agreement with Adani as a defining moment for Rockhampton.

“The influx of more than 1700 new jobs will be a massive driver for our local economy and the benefits extend to more than just employment – it’s more money being spent in our shops and more people living in our region,” she said.

The FIFO announcement follows other progress on the project including:

• Awarding of contracts worth more than $150 million for rail lines and sleepers
• Awarding contract to Downer Mining for construction and operation of Carmichael mine
• Starting pre-construction works including refurbishment of the mining camp
• Establishment of the Adani Mining HQ in Townsville with more than 150 Adani and AECOM staff
• Deployment of field staff for surveying, soil test drilling for the rail project

Adani Australia said further announcements would be made soon relating to mining machinery.

Queensland building company Wagners is set to oversee construction of the Carmichael airport as well as airport operations.