Photo caption: Federal Member for Parkes Mark Coulton pictured at Gunnedah Aerodrome with Gunnedah Shire Council Project Manager Mick De Groot and Mayor Jamie Chaffey.
Major upgrades to the Gunnedah Aerodrome are set to take flight, with the Federal Coalition Government investing $2 million in funding for the $3.8 million upgrade.
Provided under the third phase of the Australian Government’s $2.5 billion Local Roads and Community Infrastructure (LRCI) program, this $2,014,440 million in funding comes on top of the NSW Government’s $1,844,000 million contribution through the Resources for Regions program.
Federal Member for Parkes Mark Coulton said this funding will enable Gunnedah Shire Council to get the ball rolling on this project, which includes the reconstruction of the Gunnedah Aerodrome tarmac, taxiway and apron.
“Having a safe and functional airport not only helps to keep goods and services flowing and better supports aeromedical and other emergency services, but it will make Gunnedah more attractive for families and businesses looking to move or invest in the region,” Mr Coulton said.
“The construction will also create employment for local contractors which is especially important as we continue our recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“That’s why we have moved quickly to approve this funding, paving the way for shovels to hit the dirt to make this project a reality.
“This is exactly the type of work the Federal Government is proud to support – creating local job opportunities, while delivering lasting benefits.”
State Member for Tamworth Kevin Anderson said the State and Federal funding contributions would provide certainty for the Gunnedah community who have been faced with a potential closure of the airport for some time.
“Upgrades to the Gunnedah Aerodrome strip have been a long time coming. The main runway needs a lot of work to bring it up to standard and I know that the Gunnedah Aero Club will be thrilled to see this work get underway.
“Regional communities grow when they have good access to the skies and I know the community will be keen to see the economic benefits this investment will bring.”
Gunnedah Shire Council Mayor Jamie Chaffey said this was an important announcement for Gunnedah Shire, and thanked the Federal and State governments for their funding contributions.
“Air, road and rail infrastructure are critical to the future of economic development in Gunnedah Shire,” Cr Chaffey said.
“In the Gunnedah Shire Council Community Strategic Plan, adopted in 2017, one of our identified priorities was to upgrade our airport, and to seek the significant funding needed to upgrade the tarmac to allow commercial flights to operate in and out of Gunnedah.
“We have made great progress with roads and are well underway with our focus on rail and our intermodal terminal business case, but air infrastructure was still very high on our agenda.
“This is the last piece of the puzzle in interconnectivity for Gunnedah. This is what was needed to continue our work to help keep our economy soaring. Once this work is completed, we can seek the CASA accreditation needed for commercial flights.”
The Federal Government has also provided $255,000 under Phase 2 of the LRCI program for upgrades to the aerodrome – including grading the runway and taxiway, upgrading lighting and line marking, and the installation of illuminated wind indicators at both ends of the runway – as well as $198,000 through the Regional Airports Program for lighting, line marking and CCTV.
For more information on the $2.5 billion LRCI program, including the allocations for the $1 billion third phase, visit https://investment.infrastructure.gov.au/local-roads-and-community-infrastructure/.
