Hamilton Airport has taken out the Small Regional Airport of the Year Wednesday night at the Australian Airport Association (AAA) Awards. The Award was accepted by Director of Infrastructure David Moloney at an awards dinner at Parliament House in Canberra.
Council received the award for the recent redevelopment project at the airport, particularly for its focus on local content throughout the upgrade with works being delivered by a local civil contracting company and incorporating local materials suppliers.
More than five hundred airport industry leaders and representatives attended the event along with the Commonwealth Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, the Hon Darren Chester MP and the Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, the Hon Anthony Albanese MP.
The $5.2 million upgrade at the Hamilton Airport included an upgrade to the terminal, strengthening and resealing of the apron and taxiways, a new LED apron and runway lighting system including floodlighting of the apron, new office buildings, expansion of the car park and installation of a Precision Approach Path Indicator System (PAPI) to provide guidance information to help pilots acquire and maintain the correct approach. The upgrade also included the extension of the existing North/South runway to a length of 1700m. The runway extension allows for larger aircraft to land, bringing a wide range of benefits to the region including increased employment and investment, as well as improved social and community opportunities.
Mayor Cr Mary-Ann Brown said the award was appropriate recognition of the hard work which has gone into the Airport Redevelopment.
“I thank all those involved in the delivery of this project. The Hamilton Airport has been a very significant project for Council, which was many years in the making. The Hamilton Airport is an important community and strategic asset for our Shire and has an integral role to play in supporting Hamilton’s role as a regional centre in South West Victoria. Council has worked hard to ensure that Hamilton and the wider region will continue to benefit from this facility well into the future” Mayor Brown said.
“We are confident that this redevelopment will assist in advocating for further commercial and private investment in the region and will enable the Hamilton Airport to cement its position as an economic, emergency service and transport hub for South West Victoria”
The award win comes on the back of Council’s plea for support for a trial return Passenger Air Service for the Hamilton Airport.
“We’ve invested heavily into our Airport and we believe a regular passenger service is necessary to further support the many possibilities the Greater Hamilton region has to offer.
We need support in the form of financial investment from the community and regular usage to make the return of passenger air in Hamilton a reality” Mayor Brown said.