24 Mar 2016 Corryong Courier, Corryong VIC (General News) Perseverence has paid off for the Towong Shire Council which has secured funding for a $2 million redevelopment of the Corryong airport. Member for Northern Victoria, Jaclyn Symes, announced the major funding boost to support the development of the Corryong airport precinct last Thursday. The funding will expand the airports operations, upgrade facilities and enable the relocation of Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) firefighting activities to Corryong, creating eight full-time jobs. Ms Symes announced that in total the state government will contribute nearly $2 million to the Corryong Airport Precinct project. Cont. on page S. Airport project finally takes off Cont from page 1. More than $530,000 of the funding will come from the Regional Jobs and Infrastructure Fund and $1.42 million will be provided by DELWP, with the Towong Shire Council, local businesses and community groups also contributing to the project. This is a great example of the state government collaborating with local government and communities to build something that will create jobs and long term benefits for the community, Ms Symes said. The relocation of DELWPs firefighting and suppression activities from the grass airfield at Avondale to the updated facilities at Corryong will provide long-term benefit for our emergency response activities, she said. The Corryong airport precinct is currently underused with restrictions on night-time landings and inadequate infrastructure hampering development and use of the facility and this funding will help address these limitations. This project will include the establishment of new hangar and development sites, construction of a new multipurpose terminal building and other upgrade works. It will allow DELWP to permanently relocate its firefighting and suppression activities, creating eight full-time jobs and improving conditions for these emergency response activities. The project will also provide opportunity to local food and fibre producers and to the local tourism industry, as well as allowing for the future expansion of the aviation precinct, Ms Symes added. Towong mayor Cr . David Wortmann said Council is delighted, alongside our eight local community funding partners, to receive over $530,000 in funding from the Victorian government through Regional Development Victoria. The airport is a key asset for the Upper Murray. The project has been greatly assisted by the relocation of DELWP activities to the airport and contributing $ 1.42m in funding to the project. The project will create new jobs, provide new opportunities for tourism and agriculture, business and health care services. Chair of Upper Murray Business Inc. Ed Barry welcomed the Victorian government announcement, after five years since the project was first mooted by the Towong Shire. Upper Murray Health, DEWLP and the Towong Shire should be commended for their efforts in putting together an excellent health and business case for these improvements. It was also pleasing to see the wide community support for these upgrades to the airport, he said. The project will comprise the following capital works: Installation of Pilot Activated Lighting (PAL) along the runway; Installation of lighting to illuminate surrounding hazards, including Mt Mittamatite; Re-sealing of the runway; An extension of the airplane taxi areas; Re-sealing of the taxi areas; Establishment of business and hangar development sites; Construction of a new multipurpose, terminal building; Installation of hardstands for small plane tie down; Installation of a hardstand for helicopter landings; Installation of secure storage facilities to store firefighting chemicals, fuel and equipment; Upgrading of parking, signage and landscaping; Provision of an area for a future re-fuelling station at the airport; and Repositioning of the windsock and weather monitoring equipment to provide more accurate information to airport of Corryong, Corryong Lions Club, Corryong Red Cross, Man from Snowy River Tourist Association, Upper Murray Business Inc., Dart Mining, Upper Murray Health and Community Services, Tumbarumba and Towong Shire Councils. users and pilots. Locally, financial contributions for the airport project have come from the Rotary Club Caption Text: Ron Patterson and Tony Long representing DELWP, Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes, Towong mayor Cr David Wortmann and Gerard Van Emmerik from Regional Development Victoria at the Corryong airport for the funding announcement. Copyright Agency licensed copy (www.copyright.com.au)