Tibooburra Aerodrome in far north west NSW will be protected with a $200,000 NSW Government investment to repair and regrade its dirt runway.
The aerodrome, located on a Crown reserve, is a vital facility for the remote town of Tibooburra, located 1,182 kilometres north west of Sydney, as well as surrounding communities and visitors travelling between Broken Hill and Birdsville.
Crown Lands will upgrade the second runway which is used by emergency services including the Royal Flying Doctor Service, Rural Fire Service and NSW Police, as well as the Flying Padre, the Plague Locust Commission and charter flight operators.
The $200,000 investment will follow a $720,000 investment by Crown Lands in May to re-seal the main bitumen runway, taxiway and apron areas with fresh asphalt and new line markings.
The aerodrome has two intersecting runways to ensure aircraft can land and take-off regardless of wind direction.
Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Sam Farraway said: “This upgrade will ensure the Aerodrome complies with requirements of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority and remains open in a wide range of weather conditions, giving remote communities peace of mind that they have access to emergency services and other parts of NSW.”
The runway upgrades are part of statewide investments in Crown reserves.
Minister for Lands and Water Kevin Anderson said Crown reserves play an important role protecting the environment and supporting communities with everything from airfields to showgrounds, sporting ovals, green open space, community halls and Scouts and Girl Guides halls.
“Maintaining and upgrading Crown reserves and their facilities ensures the community can continue to enjoy these important public assets,” Mr Anderson said.
