In short:
A planned overnight demolition of Mobil’s old Fluid Catalytic Cracking unit at its Altona North site triggered Triple Zero calls and social media confusion among residents, despite advance notice of the works. Liberty Industrial confirmed the WorkSafe Victoria-approved felling was completed within the Mobil site boundary in under 15 minutes, as part of the site’s ongoing conversion into a major Victorian fuel terminal.
Wyndham Advertiser
A planned overnight demolition at Mobil’s Altona North site set off a wave of confusion across the western suburbs, with residents flooding social media and Triple Zero (000) after hearing a loud noise between 11pm and 5am AEST.
Liberty Industrial felled the site’s Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) unit overnight as part of an ongoing program to demolish unneeded tanks, former refinery process units and associated infrastructure at the Altona North site.
Advance notification had been distributed to nearby residents in the days before the works, but many in the area appeared unaware of the planned felling. Social media groups covering the western suburbs were flooded with posts from residents asking what had caused the noise, with some reporting they felt vibrations or heard a loud bang.
Multiple fire units were called out after a number of residents contacted Triple Zero, uncertain of the source of the disturbance.
The FCC unit had already had all hazardous materials removed and was prepared for demolition ahead of the felling. According to Liberty Industrial, the unit was felled entirely within the Mobil site before being progressively demolished on the ground, with the whole process — including post-felling clearance checks — taking less than 15 minutes.
The works form part of a broader transformation of the Altona North site, which Mobil began converting into a fuel terminal in 2021. The refurbishment increased fuel storage capacity by 250 million litres, which, combined with the Yarraville terminal, supplies almost half of Victoria’s fuel needs.
The planned works were reviewed and approved by WorkSafe Victoria. Liberty Industrial had advised that some vibration or air pressure changes may be felt during the felling, but that these would be within regulatory approved limits, with active dust suppression in place to limit impact on neighbours.
An exclusion zone was put in place for the works, with Kororoit Creek Road temporarily restricted for a short period.
Residents with questions about the works can contact Liberty Industrial’s hotline on 1800 868 650, staffed Monday to Friday from 8am to 8pm AEST, and Saturday and Sunday 24 hours, until 24 July.
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