The North Queensland Soaring Centre will put a $35,000 state government grant towards a dual-seater glider that will advance its training goals.
The IS28B2 glider will enhance the teaching capabilities of the club and will also allow it to offer “air experience flights” to members of the public.
North Queensland Soaring Centre’s Simon Richardson and Stephen Clements said the club was stoked by the recent cash injection.
They said the money would also be used to upgrade and update various aspects of the centre’s facility at the Charters Towers airport.
“We couldn’t really believe it when we found out, but it is very welcome news,” Mr Clements said.
“We have gliding students that come from all over the north from Cairns, Innisfail, Ingham, Bowen, Mackay and even Mount Isa.
“The club started up many years ago at Dalbeg near Ayr, then it went to Woodstock then back to Ayr and now it has settled here in Charters Towers.”
Member for Traeger, Robbie Katter welcomed the news that more than $150,000 had been allocated to Charters Towers community groups as part of Round 96 of Community Gambling Benefit Fund.
As an airplane pilot himself, he was particularly stoked to hear the North Queensland Soaring Centre would benefit from the latest round.
Other recipients of this round include the Charters Towers Country Music Club, which will use their $20,000 grant to build a new festival stage and install new lighting.
The Towers Jockey Club will receive $21,504 to upgrade the mains water supply at the track, while the Charters Towers Junior Cricket Association will upgrade club nets and purchase new training equipment with its $17,000.
The full list of Round 96 CGBF recipients across the Charters Towers region are:
- Charters Towers Country Music Club - $20,000
- Charters Towers Junior Cricket Association - $17,000
- Charters Towers Motorcycle Club - $14,042.60
- Flinders River Roping Association - $15,000
- Northern Gulf Resource Management Group - $29,376.29
- North Queensland Soaring Centre - $35,000
- Pentland State Emergency Service - $16,312
- Towers Jockey Club - $21,504
- Stamford Race Club - $35,000
More than $540,000 will be handed out in total across the entire Traeger electorate in this round of funding.
The GCBF is open to not-for-profit groups across the state, and gives out grants worth between $500 and $35,000.
The fund is Queensland’s largest one-off grants program, distributing approximately $54 million per year.
