WORK has begun on a $130m strengthening and widening of Hobart Airport to accommodate larger aircraft for international flights.
Federal Infrastructure and Transport Minister Catherine King says the upgrade will enable long-haul aircraft (like the Boeing 787 and Airbus A350) to fly directly to Asia and the Pacific.
The airport’s taxiways, ground lighting, electrical systems and signage are being upgraded as well.
“This will benefit tourists and exporters, with larger aircraft able to land at the airport, bringing in more tourists from further afield through an Asian hub.”
She says forecast passenger traffic through the airport should surpass 5.5 million passengers in the 2040s.
Federal MP for Franklin Julie Collins says the work will unlock more export opportunities.
“This upgrade is estimated to indirectly create more than 1200 new jobs across the state …” she says.
“The upgrade will unlock more freight opportunities for Tasmania … this means a huge boost for the local agriculture industry.”
The upgrades will create nearly 200 jobs during construction and is expected to be complete by May 2025.
Airport CEO Norris Carter says the work will be done in three stages with night work involved.
“What we’ve done is shorten the runway at the northern end by 829 metres; that’s enabled us the space to be able to do the first stage,” he says.
He added that flights will remain unaffected.
Mr Carter says once finished, the airport runway and taxiways will be able to take planes weighing up to 300 tonnes; the current weight limit is about 90 tonnes.
He also clarified that the airport’s Antarctic Division won’t be able to use the airport over Christmas and January but have Launceston and Avalon airports lined up.
The airport runway upgrades are jointly funded with $60 million from the Commonwealth and the balance from Hobart International Airport.
My second part of the article
