Tesla says its Australian owners will soon be able to travel between Sydney and Canberra on free electricity after confirming a new supercharger station at Goulburn in New South Wales.

The electric car maker has also re-affirmed its desire to link the main thoroughfare between Brisbane and Melbourne with supercharger stations by 2016 as part of its broader Australian strategy.

Speaking with Drive, Tesla Australia spokesman Heath Walker said the Goulburn recharging station was due for completion in June and would feature eight separate recharging bays. The new facility will be based in Goulburn’s main centre, bringing potential tourism benefits for the NSW town.

“It’s self-serve, basically,” Walker said. “The car does a handshake with the supercharger, so they can talk to each other.

“You get free charge, so within 20 minutes you’ll have a half charge and within an hour you’ll have a full charge.”

The Goulburn supercharger is based next door to the town’s tourism centre and will be open at anytime.

Tesla is now on the lookout for more potential townships along the busy Hume corridor, flagging another site near Albury-Wodonga. The by-product is an unlikely tourism boost for such centres.

“There could be occasions where we go into town, there could be occasions where we stay on the Hume,” Walker said.

“It’s great because it will get Tesla owners going back into these towns and exploring Australian townships, it’s a good opportunity.”

Goulburn has been bypassed by the Hume Highway since 1992. Nowadays, many motorists that stop at Goulburn only visit a service centre and fast food restaurant located on the fringe of the town.

“[The bypass] did affect the city initially, but we’re glad we don’t have the highway through town anymore. We’re very happy with the way it is,” Goulburn mayor Geoff Kettle said.

“We had discussions with Tesla earlier in the year. They came and had a look at the city and identified a spot that would suit them for a re-charging station. We’re very, very happy to be part of the charging network.”

While Goulburn doesn’t miss the endless parade of trucks grunting down its main street, Cr Kettle welcomed the potential trickle in tourism from the Tesla site.

“It means people can come into the city and enjoy what’s on offer, rather than a hurried stop,” he said. “It’s a welcome reprieve from what I call the three Ps of typical highway travelling: a piss, a pie and some petrol.”