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$5M Boost for Mareeba Airport

By July 12, 2018July 18th, 2018No Comments

Mareeba Shire Council has received an extra $5 million commitment from the Australian Government to bolster stage two of the Mareeba Airport Upgrade.

The funding has been committed under the second round of the Building Better Regions Fund (BBRF), bringing the Australian Government’s total commitment to the Mareeba Airport Upgrade to $10 million.

Northern-based Queensland Senator Ian Macdonald who made the made the announcement earlier this week has been advocating with Mayor Tom Gilmore to secure the extra funding. “This is a wonderful project, and I am delighted that the BBRF has been able to provide this level of assistance to the Mareeba Airport Upgrade,” Senator Ian Macdonald said.

“Mayor Tom Gilmore and his team have worked tirelessly for years towards this outcome.”

“These upgrades will create opportunities for more general aviation traffic at Mareeba, and even for commercial passenger flights directly onto the Atherton Tablelands,” he said.

State Member for Cook Cynthia Lui said she was pleased the Australian Government had recognised the value of providing further funds to upgrade the Mareeba airport’s runway and taxiway infrastructure through this funding.  “This is a critical project that will support the expansion of Mareeba as a provider of aviation services in the state’s north,” Ms Lui said.

Mayor Tom Gilmore welcomed the announcement saying the extra funding will enable Council to make further enhancements to the emerging upgrades. “I am absolutely thrilled. My team and I have been advocating passionately for quite some time for this extra funding which will complement and complete stage two of the upgrade,” Cr Gilmore said.

Stage two of the airport upgrade will focus on improvements to the runway and taxiways.

“We are extremely grateful to the Australian Government for its additional commitment, allowing the upgrade of the Mareeba Airport to further strengthen its capacity to be the Far North’s premier aviation training and maintenance facility,” Cr Gilmore said.

“My sincere appreciation must be extended to the Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack, Dr John McVeigh, Warren Entsch and Senators James McGrath, Ian Macdonald, Matthew Canavan and Barry O’Sullivan, who have all been instrumental in securing this funding.

“I also must thank Council staff for their input during the grant process. Without their assistance and influence we would not have reached this milestone,” he said.

The Mareeba Airport Upgrade is jointly funded by the Australian Government ($10 million) and the Queensland Government ($13 million) and is being delivered by Mareeba Shire Council.