$10 Million Runway Extension Announced for Proserpine / Whitsunday Coast Airport

This week it was announced that the Proserpine / Whitsunday Coast Airport will receive a $10 million runway extension if the Kevin Rudd Labor Government is re-elected.

This would allow the runway to cater for larger aircraft such as A330s and Boeing 787 Dreamliners to accommodate the domestic and international tourism market.

The announcement has been welcomed by Whitsunday Regional Council and Whitsundays Marketing and Development.  The Council's chief executive officer Scott Waters said that with the funding, the runway would be extended by 327 metres to reach 2400 metres to provide the same capabilities as the Gold Coast Airport.

Master plans for the proposed airport development were released by Council in March this year, detailing the airport terminal tripling in size.

Deputy Prime Minister Anthony Albanese flew into the Whitsundays on Monday 19 August to make the announcement with Labor candidate Bronwyn Taha.  It is believed that he arrived from Gladstone on Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Canadair CL-600-2B16 Challenger 604 bizjet A37-002.

However, with the federal election less than three weeks away, sitting LNP member George Christensen has described the announcement as an empty election promise.