Official Opening of the New Terminal and Runway Lighting System Upgrade at Thargomindah Airport

Mayor, ladies and gentlemen, Kaye and I are delighted to join you today in the heart of Bulloo Shire for this important event.

As a child, I lived with my schoolteacher parents in several towns in regional Queensland, including Longreach, so I know something of the importance of transport infrastructure like roads and airports to more remote towns and shires.  

That is especially so for a town like Thargomindah, which is about 900 kilometres from Brisbane as the crow flies – a very fit crow.

And if it is difficult to get a sense of the distances involved, consulting an old-style atlas – I’m giving away my age – will demonstrate that Thargomindah is about that same distance, 900 kilometres, from Sydney and Adelaide.

The upgrade of Thargomindah Airport is an important milestone for the town and the Shire. It provides further opportunities for the Shire’s economic development and employment creation for local people.  It enhances the sense of connectedness of the region with the rest of the State and the country.

The upgrade of both terminal facilities and the runway lighting system has brought the terminal up to CASA standards, increased its capacity several-fold, made it a 24-hour airport if needs be, and is designed to take future growth into account.

It has also improved comfort levels for travellers very significantly, in a location where summer gets a little warm, and winter temperatures can, on occasion, fall to freezing point.

Overall, the upgrade has made the airport a much more welcoming gateway to and departure point from the town, the Shire, and the region, for travellers on commercial airline services, the Royal Flying Doctor Service, and other visiting aircraft.

Twinned with the upgrade of Quilpie Airport, which I will officially open tomorrow, the upgrades in Thargomindah represent an important and welcomed step forward for South West Queensland and regional Queensland more generally.  

I congratulate the Mayor, the Bulloo Shire Council and the residents of the Shire on this marvellous new facility.  

I thank the State Government and the Shire for their financial support for the project.  

I thank and congratulate the designers and builders, including the local suppliers involved.

And it is now my very great pleasure to the declare the new terminal and runway lighting system upgrade at Thargomindah Airport officially open, and to unveil the commemorative plaque.

Thank you.