Finishing Touches Left for Major Upgrades at Emerald Airport Terminal and Carpark

A $6 million upgrade of the terminal building and carpark at the Emerald Airport is almost complete, making this important gateway to the Central Highlands and Coalfields safer for travellers.

In the carpark area, there is now a formal drop-off and pick-up zone with shade structures.  There are new ticketing machines and raised traffic crossings.  This should make it safer for passengers moving between the terminal and the carpark and will also remove traffic from right out front of the building.

Inside the Emerald Airport terminal, there is now a new screening hall with private search rooms, upgraded screening equipment and a new body scanner, aimed at picking up a class of threat that there was little capability to do so before.

I also noted that the flow of the departure and arrival process has also been improved.  Passengers now remain inside the building from check-in to boarding.  

There also is an anti-pass-back door that has also been installed between the arrivals and departures areas, a highly sophisticated security device which restricts unwanted passenger movement.

The kiosk was open again - under new management - and now located on the other side of the security screening point.

Sadly though for plane spotters, there are no 'improvements' inside the terminal building with awnings and shade structures and pylons still in the way and obstructing views of aircraft parked at the terminal and on the movement areas.

All that seemingly remains is directional signage, which is planned to be installed over the next few weeks, with the project set to be officially completed later this month.

Central Highlands Regional Council’s Airport Manager Salomon Kloppers said the entire project was a 'game-changer' for security at the facility.

Mr Kloppers also said that behind the scenes, there has been an "absolute leapfrog" in terms of building safety, with improved onsite water supplies and fire pumps, as well as increased firefighting capabilities, and smoke and heat detection.

Emerald Airport is the 34th largest in Australia.

Additional images from Central Highlands Regional Council