Potential roadblock on $10m airport project

CITY of Ballarat councillors are being asked to make a five-million-dollar call on extending the north-south runway at the airport in Mitchell Park at their next regular meeting.

A decision on the project, which would see the take-off and landing strip lengthened by over 500 meters is needed after the Federal Government last year announced that another $5 million for the works was coming from the Regional Airports Program.

The previous council voted in 2019 to apply for a grant under that scheme, and as part of securing the money the municipality must match it dollar-for-dollar.

However, even if councillors decide to allocate $5 million of ratepayers’ money to the project there’s still no guarantee it’ll go ahead as a key piece of infrastructure is blocking progress.

Airport Road is currently the only access point to the airfield’s main buildings from the east, and to extend the runway the thoroughfare would need to be closed and a new road build from the south via BEWZ.

That could require up to further $14 million, and the backing of the State Government via Regional Development Victoria.

“The runway can’t be extended until Liberator Drive is built,” Mr King said. “Liberator Drive is a road that’s been planned in BEWZ from its initial conception, but in order to extend the runway we need to cut off the current road in.

“Development Victoria is going to build Liberator Drive, they always planned to build it, it’s just when they were planning to build it. What we’re asking for is that to be brought forward.

“Our conversations with Development Victoria have been incredibly positive and we feel like we’ll get to the point we need to be able to do the runway extension.”

Peter Mackay, managing director of Field Air, is a tenant at Ballarat Airport.

His company has a number of hangers used for aircraft maintenance and sales as well as aerial spraying and firefighting operations at the site.

He said that a longer runway would help increase the capacity of his business.

“We’re being held back in that we’re planning to build new facilities to expand, and we need airside access to that runway,” he said.

“Occasionally we have to go off-site to do maintenance because you can’t land larger aircraft.

“I want to see council take the running and continually spend money to improve the airport. The Federal Government’s $5 million, matched with the council’s $5 million gives us $10 million, which is a fabulous start to extending the runway.

“Just to get on with it is what we really need to see happening.”

A second issue up for decision by City of Ballarat councillors is the establishment of a committee of management for the airport site.

That group would be “commercially focused” although the municipality would keep ownership of the airport.

Mr Mackay said he backed that move.

“I think it’s a great idea to have people managing an airport who have got knowledge of the airport and broader knowledge of all the benefits that a larger airport could bring to Ballarat,” he said.

The $10 million extension of the north-south runway, which does not include strengthening works, is part of an overall masterplan for the site currently projected to cost $31 million.

While the masterplan could result in an overall increase is aircraft size and volume of movement, Mr King said he didn’t see major commercial flights using the facility anytime soon.

“At present interstate passenger flights probably aren’t a priority,” he said. “Ballarat’s proximity to Tullamarine and Avalon puts it in a slightly different space to Bendigo Airport.

“But if passenger flights were ever to be considered then obviously an extended runway helps support that.”

The next City of Ballarat regular council meeting is set for Wednesday, 23 June at 6.30pm.