Council seeks funds to develop Moruya Airport

Eurobodalla Council has this month submitted grant applications totalling over $7 million to the Australian and NSW Governments to kickstart development at Moruya Airport.

Council estimates more than 70 jobs will be created if the applications are successful.

Under the NSW Government’s Regional Tourism Infrastructure Fund, Council submitted final details on its application for $4.6 million to build the infrastructure for a tourism accommodation precinct and deliver the necessary terminal and runway upgrades to allow future passenger growth. The application is the culmination of a process that began in March 2015 when Council was shortlisted following an expression of interest process.

Council also applied for $2.54 million from the Australian Government’s National Stronger Regions Fund to expand the commercial space available at the airport. A condition of this funding is that it is matched by Council. As part of demonstrating the case for the grant, Council called for expressions of interest last July for businesses requiring additional commercial space at the airport and this call was fully subscribed.

Mayor Lindsay Brown said the rigorous business cases developed for the applications have been supported by numerous letters from local businesses and organisations. “Several indicated in their letters of support that jobs will be created as soon as the additional commercial space becomes available,” he said.

“We also received letters of support from our local Federal Members of Parliament, Dr Peter Hendy and Ms Ann Sudmalis, as well as the Member for Bega, Andrew Constance. I thank them all for their solid support of these important projects.”

The grants were submitted following Council’s unanimous adoption of the Moruya Airport Master Plan on 26 May 2015. If the applications are successful, the funding will deliver phases one and three of the Master Plan.

Council expects to hear the outcomes of both funding applications before the end of July.