Airports at Coral Bay, Shark Bay and Carnarvon will share State Government funding totaling almost $295,000 to improve aviation infrastructure in the Gascoyne Region.
Planning and Infrastructure Minister Alannah MacTiernan said the State Government would support airport upgrade projects worth almost $790,000, including:
- $200,000 to upgrade the Coral Bay airstrip to Civil Aviation Safety Authority standard;
- $50,000 towards a $260,000 upgrade of fencing at Shark Bay airstrip by its private owners to keep emus from straying onto the runway; and
- $43,900 to the Shire of Carnarvon for taxiway and apron repairs and a geotechnical survey of Carnarvon airport to guide future development - total cost $326,330.
"The Carpenter Government is committed to building stronger regional communities by investing in essential infrastructure," Ms MacTiernan said.
"Air services play a key role in economic development and service delivery in the Gascoyne and these grants will help support regional growth.
"At Coral Bay, the Department for Planning and Infrastructure will undertake a major project which includes re-sheeting the runway, upgrading the fuel storage facility and building better fencing to improve the safety of the airport both for charter and private flights."
The Minister said the grants had been approved as part of the 2006-07 round of the Regional Airports Development Scheme (RADS), which would see almost $3million spent on 18 airport development projects valued at more than $13million across the State.
The RADS Scheme funds up to 50 per cent of the cost of airport projects designed to develop airport infrastructure and enhance airport planning in regional areas.
