Tom Gilmore Mareeba Aviation Industrial Precinct

Mareeba Airport – wholly owned and operated by Mareeba Shire Council – is approximately 22 nautical miles (10-15 minutes flying time) west of Cairns Airport in Tropical North Queensland.

The airport’s unique location near a major international airport, yet outside controlled airspace, with a safe flying area and new infrastructure, provides a real opportunity to support global growth of the aviation industry and the regional economy in Northern Australia.

Located inland away from the coast, it offers a secure development opportunity with limited environmental management risks and an ideal flying climate.

Mareeba Airport is a CASA certified public aerodrome with a Code 3 sealed runway, AFRU, AWIB and PAL. The facility supports approximately 1,000 aircraft movements a month, and training accounts for approximately 50% of all landings.

It is currently home to several flight training operators, aircraft maintenance businesses, agricultural aviation operators and recreational aviators. There are strong prospects for further growth in demand, with many existing users proposing to expand their operations over the next decade, particularly in relation to flight training.

A $23 million upgrade was completed in 2019 which will catalyse economic diversification of the Mareeba township and the broader region. Growing aviation capacity will enhance Mareeba’s existing position as a regional supply and service hub for the mining, cattle, agricultural and tourism industries, as well as strengthen its role as a sub-regional industrial hub in Northern Australia.

Development opportunities currently available

The newly developed 52-lot (Stage 1) western precinct has lease sites that are identified into two types …

Commercial lease sites which have the following characteristics:

  • Sizes ranging from 630m2 through to 4,410m2;
  • Road and airside access;
  • Powered sites with option to connect to 3-phase power;
  • Serviced by potable water supply;
  • Serviced by sewerage.

Recreational lease sites which have the following characteristics:

  • Size is 270m2 only (18m airside frontage);
  • Limited road access;
  • Powered sites;
  • Serviced by potable water supply;
  • Not serviced by sewerage.

Recreational sites are purely for aircraft storage purposes with no commercial activity to be undertaken on or from these sites.

Zoning

All land is zoned Industry (Heavy Industry Precinct) under Council’s planning scheme.  Generally, leaseholders can develop a leased lot without planning approval for genuine aviation-related purposes. Development guidelines for Mareeba Airport are in place to ensure quality and functional building with the flexibility to allow varied and interesting designs.

Leasing at Mareeba Airport

The standard lease term is 20 years plus options for a further 2 x 10 years’ extensions. Alternatives can be considered upon application.

Lease site Annual Rent is calculated as follows:

  • Commercial lease sites. Annual rent currently charged at $6.40 per square metre (+GST);
  • Recreational lease sites. Annual rent currently charged at $9.60 per square metre (+GST).

Rent for both commercial and recreational lease sites is subject to review on an annual basis effective from 1 July each year using the immediately preceding June Quarter Consumer Price Index figure as published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Applications for Leasing

Lodgement of an Application to Lease Land at Mareeba Airport (the Application) will require the applicant to deposit $1,000.00 towards legal fees for the preparation and ultimate lodgement of the lease document and lease survey plan on Title. This amount will be offset against the total legal fees incurred by Council once lodgement of all legal instruments has been finalised. Any amount in excess of the deposit will be invoiced by Council to the Lessee. Refer to the complete set of conditions as contained in the Application document.

All costs associated with the survey of lease areas for inclusion in the lease document are met by Council. Once lodged on Title, all leases will be subject to payment of:

  • Annual rental charges; and
  • Council Rates and Charges due from the commencement date of the lease.

FURTHER INFORMATION

It is highly advisable that any potential lease applicant should be familiar with the content of the following important documents (see relevant links at the bottom of this page):

  • Mareeba Airport Development Guidelines;
  • Application to Lease Land at Mareeba Airport;
  • Tom Gilmore Mareeba Aviation Industrial Precinct- Lease Staging and Layout Plan. This plan identifies the status of lease sites and those that are available to lease; and
  • Standard Drawing S1000 – Airport Hangar Access Ramp.

For more information please contact Mareeba Shire Council on 1300 308 461 or info@msc.qld.gov.au.