Upgrades to the runway at remote Tibooburra in north-western NSW have been completed, giving a much-needed make over to one of the state's critical airports.
Tibooburra sits 350 km north of Broken Hill near the QLD border, and is a regular stop-over and refueling point for GA aircraft transiting the area.
The airport's runway 02/20 has been resurfaced and re-marked, funded by government grants.
NSW Minister for Lands and Water Kevin Anderson said the NSW Government had invested $720,000 in the Tibooburra community by upgrading the runway and taxiways at Tibooburra Aerodrome.
“It is important to keep our regional and remote communities safe and connected," he said. "Tibooburra Aerodrome is located on Crown land, about 1200 km from Sydney in the far north west corner of the state and connects remote communities and landowners with the rest of NSW and Australia.
“Tibooburra Aerodrome also allows organisations like the Royal Flying Doctor Service, NSW Police, Rural Fire Service, the Flying Padre and tourist operators to access the far north west, to provide vital services to residents and support the outback economy.”
The area can be subject to temperatures above 40oC at times with regular thunderstorms, both of which are thought to have contributed to pavement degradation.
Royal Flying Doctor Service (South Eastern Section) CEO Greg Sam said Tibooburra was critical for the RFDS operations.
“Tibooburra Aerodrome provides an all-weather strip that can be used anytime, night or day to provide emergency support for the community when needed,” Sam said.
“While emergency retrievals are at the heart of our service we also provide a range of other health services including GP clinics, dental care, mental health support, alcohol and drug services, and COVID-19 support including vaccinations.”