Direct flights to east coast closer: East Kimberley Airport upgrade progresses

The tarmac has been laid but the Shire of Wyndham-East Kimberley is still waiting to find out if it will receive Federal funding to help its dream of direct flights to the east coast finally take off. Shire representatives rolled out the tarmac for a flying visit by Senator Glenn Sterle on Tuesday for the official opening of stage one of the East Kimberley Regional Airport upgrade. But amongst the ribbon cutting and happy snaps, what the shire really wanted to know from the Federal Government representative was if it will receive funding for stage two of the upgrade to make direct flights to the east coast a reality. Shire CEO Vernon Lawrence confirmed to the Kimberley Echo on Wednesday the shire was still waiting to find out if it would receive $13.5m in Federal funding to extend the runway to allow bigger Boeing 737s or Airbus A320s to take off. Stage one of the upgrade involved increasing the pavement strength of the airport taxiways and apron to accommodate the larger and heavier aircraft. The increased pavement strength means Code 4C aircraft can operate unrestricted at maximum take-off weight. That means once stage two is completed, heavier planes can fly fully loaded direct from Kununurra to the east coast without stopping. Its hoped the larger planes that can carry up to 176 passengers will mean the price of tickets becomes more affordable. Stage one of the project cost $12m, with the Australian Government contributing $7.6m and the Shire of Wyndham-East Kimberley tipping in $4.5m. Federal Infrastructure Minister Catherine King said enabling heavier aircraft to operate at the East Kimberley Regional Airport would promote more affordable connectivity between the Kununurra region to main centres across Australia. “The Australian Government is pleased to be partnering with the Wyndham-East Kimberley Shire to make this project a reality, which will increase connectivity and economic development opportunities for the East Kimberley region,” Ms King said. Mr Sterle said the East Kimberley Regional Airport was a critical hub for the region and having additional capacity would provide options for more tourism and freight opportunities. “Funding this upgrade for the airport is vital for the East Kimberley region to keep the community connected with family, friends and services such as health care,” he said. Shire president David Menzel said he was thrilled to see the milestone completed. “The completion of this project marks a significant achievement for our community, showcasing the positive outcomes that collaboration and strategic investments can bring,” he said. “As we look towards the future, we anticipate the East Kimberley Regional Airport to play a pivotal role in unlocking the full economic potential of our region.” A spokeswoman for the Infrastructure Minister said round one of the Growing Regions Program had a two-stage application process to improve program integrity and transparency. “Second stage applications under round 1 are currently being assessed in accordance with the program guidelines and probity requirements,” she said. “The Minister’s department will publish details of successful grant recipients once those decisions are made.”