The TerritoryLabor Government has released a Master Plan for Batchelor Airport, which willtransform the existing airstrip into an aviation hub, creating jobs andsupporting a range of commercial general aviation activities into the future.
Since WWIIBatchelor Airport has been a thriving centre of aviation activity.
Today, theexisting role of the Batchelor Airport in the greater Darwin region issupporting general aviation, including recreational parachuting and glidingclubs, charter flights for a number of NT communities and is a centre for aircraftmaintenance.
This MasterPlan identifies potential options for sustainably and progressively growing thearea into an aviation hub, whilst also putting in place arrangements tomaintain, operate and manage the airport as a business opportunity.
The futuredevelopment of Batchelor Airport will be broken into three stages:
- Stage1 of the Master Plan has a 10-year horizon for upgrades to the airport andprovision of commercial hangar facilities;
- Stage2 and 3 will include incremental expansion of facilities to accommodateaircraft parking, movements and an increased number of hangar sites.
The BatchelorAirport is estimated to support up to 30 jobs in Batchelor. The expansion andestablishment of new general aviation activity and aviation support businessesis likely to contribute further to economic growth and significance to theBatchelor Airport and Town.
Works that arepart of the Master Plan have already begun such as creation of a new apron andtaxiway which is expected to be completed in 2019, building on previous worksin 2018 to formalise and seal the access road into the Airport and construct acar park.
For moreinformation go to https://dipl.nt.gov.au/batchelorairport
As stated bythe Minister for Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics, Eva Lawler:
Our priorityas a Government is to create jobs and attract people to live here releasingthis Master Plan provides certainty and ensures that industry can plan andprepare to respond to upcoming opportunities.
We havereleased this Master Plan because it is vitally important that we have wellplanned and strategically timed infrastructure projects that will create andsupport jobs long-term and improve services in Batchelor.
Upgrading andexpanding the Batchelor Airport will create a flow on effect for the community supporting many industries not just restricted to the airport like tourism,agriculture, construction and many more to create jobs and attract more peopleto the area.
