ðɪ ɐdvˈæntɪdʒᵻz ʌvðə sˈaɪt plˈeɪd ɐ mˈeɪdʒɚ pˈɑːɹt ɪn ðɪs dᵻsˈɪʒən: fɔːɹ tɹˈænspoːɹt bˈoʊθ ɹˈeɪl ænd ʃˈɪpɪŋ ɔːlɹˌɛdi ɛɡzˈɪstᵻd, ænd ðeɪ hæd klˈoʊs pɹɑːksˈɪmᵻɾi tə ðə nˈuːkæsəl ænd sˈaʊθ mˈeɪtlənd kˈoʊlfiːldz, ðə kˈoʊl kənsˈʌmpʃən ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi sˈɛvən wʌz θˈɜːɾi,zˈiəɹoʊzˈiəɹoʊ zˈiəɹoʊ tˈʌnz ˈiːtʃ wˈiːk.
The advantages of the site played a major part in this decision: for transport both rail and shipping already existed, and they had close proximity to the Newcastle and South Maitland coalfields, (the coal consumption in 1947 was 30,000 tons each week).