NEWSFLASH – Runway Upgrade

MILDURA Airport Corporation has secured $10 million in funding from the Federal Government’s National Stronger Regions Fund to upgrade the main runway at Mildura Airport.

Securing the funding is critical to the current operation and continued growth of the airport, Mildura Airport Corporation Chairman Peter O’Donnell says.

The works will see the main runway, now at the end of its design life, strengthened by an asphalt overlay of 150mm.

Other overlay works involving the airport’s taxi and apron areas will also be carried out.

The last major upgrade of the runway was in 1997 when it was lengthened and overlaid.

“Since that work was completed the air traffic in Mildura has built up quite remarkably and the type of aircraft coming here are significantly larger than was provided for,” Mr O’Donnell says.

“So it was absolutely critical we secured this funding from the Federal Government and that was the whole thrust of our application.

“We are now seeing the largest of the Code ‘C’ aircraft (amongst the largest domestic aircraft operating in Australia) landing in Mildura,” Mr O’Donnell says.

“What we’re building is for now, not the future and these works will bring a huge benefit to the community. It means we can continue to receive and dispatch those larger aircraft which fundamentally, based on economies of scale, is helping to keep air travel costs down.”

“The success of the project is a great outcome for the region and is the culmination of 7 years work by the MAPL team to develop the project, and more recently a strong partnership with Andrew Broad and MRCC to access funding for the project.”

Funding for the project will also come from the Mildura Airport Corporation and the Mildura Rural City Council.

It is anticipated the works will be completed within two years.

For more information contact

Peter O’Donnell
Chairman, Mildura Airport Corporation.
pod@scfarms.com.au
0429 104 225

Or

Bill Burke
CEO, Mildura Airport Corporation
bb@milair.com.au
0401 992 496