Airport construction milestone a sign of opportunities to come

Liverpool Mayor Wendy Waller has welcomed the next milestone in the construction of Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport.

More than 200 earthmoving machines are rolling onto the Badgerys Creek site to move 25 million cubic metres of earth, making way for the airport’s terminal, runway, roads and rail.

“With the start of major earthworks, Liverpool is a step closer to having an international airport on its doorstep, connecting Sydney’s third CBD to the world,” Mayor Waller said.

“Thanks to major projects such as Western Sydney International Airport, Liverpool has attracted significant interest from businesses and tertiary institutions wishing to establish a presence in Liverpool and its suburbs, bringing with them employment and education opportunities for locals.

“The airport itself is a massive job generator – during the airport’s construction phase, at least 30 per cent of jobs will go to people living in Western Sydney and that figure is expected to increase to 50 per cent when the airport opens in 2026.”

Western Sydney Airport Executive General Manager – Airport Infrastructure Jim Tragotsalos said the earthworks would cover 67 per cent of the 1780-hectare site.

“We’ll have hundreds of workers and more than 200 scrapers, excavators, graders, dump trucks and dozers, including some of the world’s biggest machines, on site getting to work on this mammoth task,” he said.

Mayor Waller said Council has played a key role in transforming Liverpool into a city of the future, capitalising on the arrival of Western Sydney International Airport and the neighbouring Aerotropolis.

“Last week Council hosted business summit Invest Liverpool, which showcased the exciting activity happening in our backyard,” Mayor Waller said.

“A highlight was seeing a new vision of Liverpool Civic Place, Council’s $400 million mixed-use joint venture with Built that will feature two commercial towers, new Council offices and chambers, a library, childcare centre and public plaza.

“We also demonstrated how we’ll pave the way to a greener, brighter, more vibrant and active city centre with a new 10-year master plan and launched the Fifteenth Avenue Smart Transit Corridor Design Framework, a place-led vision for a sustainable transit corridor that links Western Sydney Airport and Liverpool.

“The framework will help ensure this infrastructure project is delivered in-line with the opening of the airport and ensure the character of existing areas along the corridor is protected and enhanced.”