One of the proponents of an east-west air route between Rockhampton and western Queensland has swooped on the state government announcement of a $15 million package to secure new flights to and within Queensland.
Neil Fisher, deputy mayor of the Rockhampton Regional Council and Central Queensland Airports and Aerodrome Owners Group chairman, said $500,000 of that money would give an airline the start-up it needed to begin such a route.
News of the latest $10m for interstate flights, part of the second stage of the Government's Unite and Recover for Queensland Jobs plan, is on top of the announcement of $5 million for 16 airports to help airlines to secure intrastate flights.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said it would give even greater scope to negotiate with airlines to open up the state and bring more tourists to the regions.
"Airports and aviation are crucial to our regional economies as we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic," she said. "More flights will help to further revive our tourism industry, support hundreds of thousands of jobs and pump millions of dollars into local businesses."
Tourism Minister Kate Jones said the aviation package would support airports to negotiate with carriers in partnership with Tourism and Events Queensland to secure aviation routes to regional Queensland and into Brisbane.
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Cr Fisher said an east-west flight ticked all the boxes for the government.
"I am encouraging our western local governments to say to the Premier, we've got the best tourist destinations, a business plan that makes sense, and a viable route that is shovel-ready," he said. "We could have a route ready in a very short time."
The plan has had initial success, with Alliance Airlines opening up a new air route from Brisbane to the Whitsundays, but Cr Fisher said the world was hungry for new experiences and there was much more to Queensland tourism than splashing round in salt water.
"We believe one of the strongest new destinations in Queensland to tap into is between east and west," Cr Fisher said.
"It could be a phenomenal economic driver for central Queensland full stop.
"We're keen to work with the state government to make this happen, in time for the holiday season later this year."
Ms Jones said the $15 million program could deliver thousands of jobs over a three-year period.
"Before COVID-19, one in 10 Queenslanders were employed in tourism," she said. "We want to continue getting people back to work. More direct flights will help us do that."
Sally Gall
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
