Toowoomba Airport
Encyclopedia
Toowoomba Airport is an airport
located 4 km west from the CBD of Toowoomba
, Queensland
, Australia
.
decided to develop the Wilsonton site with additional Queensland State Government funding allowing a $10 million expansion. The development followed industry recommendations to extend the main runway to 1400m, and to increase the ramp space for passenger aircraft parking. Interestingly however the airport terminal was not redeveloped despite some community sentiment suggesting it is inadequate. The main runway was primarily extended to the east within the confines of the existing airport boundary, with the earthworks extension completed in July 2011. Further runway surfacing work has been delayed until warmer weather allows the tarmac to cure.
Development was spurred on by Council business surveys conducted in 2009 that suggested there was sufficient traffic to sustain both direct Brisbane and Sydney flights. The Toowoomba Mayor has alluded to the fact that Council is continuing negotiation with several regional airlines to develop and commence RPT flights direct to Sydney or other centres. The commencement of Skytrans Dash-8 services on the Western Route via Toowoomba has assisted to demonstrate the effectiveness of regional turbo-prop aircraft operating directly in Toowoomba with a low noise footprint. In July 2011 it was reported in the local media that Skytrans has suggested it is interested in expanding its network to include Toowoomba to Sydney
services, whilst an advertising campaign by the council is imminent to attract interest in airline services more generally. The Council has suggested the process of attracting potential airline services and destinations and routes would be determined by the airlines which may allow the case for direct flights to centres other than Sydney, such as Newcastle, Gold Coast
, Moree
or Charleville
.
In July 2011 the Queensland State Government released a statewide infrastructure review which re-stated the view that a new and larger jet runway airport will be necessary to support regional development in the Toowoomba, Darling Downs and Surat Basin regions. Green field sights to the south and south west of Toowoomba have long been under consideration however expense is a concern for Toowoomba Regional Council without actual Federal or State Government assurances.
The use of the Army Aviation Centre in Oakey is consistently asserted by elements of the community, however Army circuit training traffic loads are high and the prevailing training circuit directly conflicts with the most likely civil approach and departure paths. This conflict could prove unworkable for permanent co-location without significant changes to existing runway infrastructure, navigation aids, and improvements to airport access. The lack of direct vehicle approaches to Oakey Airport from Toowoomba are not ideal, as is the isolation from supporting infrastructure. The Oakey Civil Terminal co-located with the Army Aviation Flying Museum is relatively new and not highly utilised, which makes sharing of this location somewhat commercially attractive.
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
located 4 km west from the CBD of Toowoomba
Toowoomba, Queensland
Toowoomba is a city in Southern Queensland, Australia. It is located west of Queensland's capital city, Brisbane. With an estimated district population of 128,600, Toowoomba is Australia's second largest inland city and its largest non-capital inland city...
, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Other Services
- Southern Queensland base for Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS)
- Darling Downs Aeroclub
- RACQ CareFlight South West
Future Development
Toowoomba's Airport has been subject to much debate from the 1960s to present, with conjecture centred on development of the existing site versus a new green-field development. In 2010 the Toowoomba Regional CouncilToowoomba Regional Council
The Toowoomba Region is a Local Government Area located in the Darling Downs part of Queensland, Australia. Established in 2008, it was preceded by several previous local government areas with histories extending back to the early 1900s and beyond....
decided to develop the Wilsonton site with additional Queensland State Government funding allowing a $10 million expansion. The development followed industry recommendations to extend the main runway to 1400m, and to increase the ramp space for passenger aircraft parking. Interestingly however the airport terminal was not redeveloped despite some community sentiment suggesting it is inadequate. The main runway was primarily extended to the east within the confines of the existing airport boundary, with the earthworks extension completed in July 2011. Further runway surfacing work has been delayed until warmer weather allows the tarmac to cure.
Development was spurred on by Council business surveys conducted in 2009 that suggested there was sufficient traffic to sustain both direct Brisbane and Sydney flights. The Toowoomba Mayor has alluded to the fact that Council is continuing negotiation with several regional airlines to develop and commence RPT flights direct to Sydney or other centres. The commencement of Skytrans Dash-8 services on the Western Route via Toowoomba has assisted to demonstrate the effectiveness of regional turbo-prop aircraft operating directly in Toowoomba with a low noise footprint. In July 2011 it was reported in the local media that Skytrans has suggested it is interested in expanding its network to include Toowoomba to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
services, whilst an advertising campaign by the council is imminent to attract interest in airline services more generally. The Council has suggested the process of attracting potential airline services and destinations and routes would be determined by the airlines which may allow the case for direct flights to centres other than Sydney, such as Newcastle, Gold Coast
Gold Coast, Queensland
Gold Coast is a coastal city of Australia located in South East Queensland, 94km south of the state capital Brisbane. With a population approximately 540,000 in 2010, it is the second most populous city in the state, the sixth most populous city in the country, and also the most populous...
, Moree
Morée
Morée is a commune in the Loir-et-Cher department of central France.-See also:*Communes of the Loir-et-Cher department...
or Charleville
Charleville, Queensland
Charleville is a town in south western Queensland, Australia, 758 kilometres by road west of Brisbane . It is the largest town and administrative centre of the Murweh Shire, which covers an area of 43,905 square kilometres...
.
In July 2011 the Queensland State Government released a statewide infrastructure review which re-stated the view that a new and larger jet runway airport will be necessary to support regional development in the Toowoomba, Darling Downs and Surat Basin regions. Green field sights to the south and south west of Toowoomba have long been under consideration however expense is a concern for Toowoomba Regional Council without actual Federal or State Government assurances.
The use of the Army Aviation Centre in Oakey is consistently asserted by elements of the community, however Army circuit training traffic loads are high and the prevailing training circuit directly conflicts with the most likely civil approach and departure paths. This conflict could prove unworkable for permanent co-location without significant changes to existing runway infrastructure, navigation aids, and improvements to airport access. The lack of direct vehicle approaches to Oakey Airport from Toowoomba are not ideal, as is the isolation from supporting infrastructure. The Oakey Civil Terminal co-located with the Army Aviation Flying Museum is relatively new and not highly utilised, which makes sharing of this location somewhat commercially attractive.
External links
- Toowoomba City Council: History of the Airport
- Toowoomba Airport at streetdirectory.com.au