Cloncurry Airport Downgrade Looms Without $10 Million Funding Boost

Cloncurry Mayor Greg Campbell with Federal Minister Kristy McBain and Treasurer Jim Chalmers at Cloncurry Airport. Photo supplied

‍

Cloncurry Airport could face an operational downgrade this wet season, potentially restricting FIFO aircraft and affecting mining operations across North West Queensland unless a further $10 million is secured for a permanent runway upgrade.

‍

Cloncurry Shire Council has warned heavier jet aircraft could be prevented from using the runway if conditions create the potential for a repeat of the major failure experienced earlier this year.

The airport sustained significant damage in January when heavy rainfall associated with a monsoon trough and ex-Tropical Cyclone Koji damaged sections of the runway.

‍

Cloncurry Mayor Greg Campbell said safety would remain the priority.

“It's not a decision we want to make, but we need to ensure our facility is safe,” Cr Campbell said.

“The technical advice we are getting is that if we have a severe weather event like we had during this year's wet season, we will need to downgrade the airport to ensure we do not have another catastrophic failure of our key asset.

‍

“It’s critical that we protect our airstrip to prevent failure. The best solution would be to secure the required $10 million and have the upgrades completed prior to the wet season.”

‍

The Commonwealth and Queensland governments have committed $11.5 million through Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements, with approximately $2 million used for emergency repairs that restored the runway to near-normal operations.

However, Council says another $10 million is required to complete its broader $26 million rehabilitation program.

‍

‍

Planning for the major upgrade began about four years ago after inspections identified the airport was approaching the end of its useful life.

The project would not only rehabilitate the runway but support Council’s plans to develop the site into a broader aviation precinct capable of accommodating larger aircraft.

‍

Cloncurry Airport serves as a major gateway for the North West’s resources sector, supporting mining operations including Ernest Henry, Dugald River, Eloise, Austral Resources, Eva Copper, True North Copper and Rocklands, alongside future projects such as CopperString.

‍

“We've been working towards doing a major upgrade to the airport for probably four years now, where it was getting to the end of its life,” Cr Campbell said.

“We were looking at growing our airport to be an aviation precinct.”

‍

Council had sought $14.5 million through the Federal Government’s Regional Precincts and Partnerships Program, however its application was unsuccessful.

Cr Campbell said updating the application with market-tested tender prices was treated as a resubmission, moving the project from round two to round six of assessments and causing further delays.

‍

“The final advice that the CEO got gave us some confidence that we would be better off updating with the tendered prices,” he said.

“But that was considered a resubmission and pushed us back. Instead of us being in round two, we ended up being assessed in round six.”

‍

Council is now calling on either the Queensland or Federal Government to provide the remaining funding before another major weather event places the runway at risk.

‍

“We don't care if the funding comes from Canberra or Brisbane, but we need that extra $10 million to get the work done so we can continue to be a major contributor to the economy,” Cr Campbell said.

‍