It was built privately by the Laker family (from whom the siding's name is derived), and was used as a shell grit plant, opening on 16 November 1959.
The product was then transported to the Australian Glass Manufacturers' siding in Spotswood, Victoria,[1] where elevated loading bins and platforms were used to unload it.
[1] The Laker family decided to cease the operation in 1973[1] and established an engineering business at the site instead.
Special grass was planted in an attempt to stop the sand from moving onto the train tracks.
In 2007, a project commenced that included building an island platform, facilitating a new locomotive watering facility, and the construction of a 150-metre-long rolling stock shed with four tracks.