Western Australian airports featured prominently in the 2024 National Airport Industry Awards held last night, with three airports in the state winning their category.
Djarindjin on the Dampier Peninsula won Small Regional (non-RPT) Airport of the Year, Newman in the Pilbara took out Small Regional (RPT) Airport of the Year and Broome was named Large Regional Airport of the Year.
Additionally, Andrea Dobson, Aerodrome Reporting Officer at East Kimberley Regional Airport took home the Emerging Airport Leader Award.
Cairns in QLD won Major Airport of the Year (non-capital), Archerfield won Metro Airport of the Year and Adelaide was named Capital City Airport of the Year.
The Australian Airports Association (AAA) runs the annual awards, which this year attracted 81 nominations in 16 overall categories.
“We were thrilled to receive so many entries this year and it highlights the wide range of projects and improvements being carried out at Australian airports,” AAA CEO Simon Westaway said.
“Our members work diligently to implement the best technology, create a seamless travel experience and keep Australians moving.
“Congratulations to all the winners and nominees, they were certainly difficult decisions for the judges in such competitive fields.”
Djarindjin Airport services the Aboriginal community of Djarindjin, which has a population of about 400 people. The airport beat out several others in the category, with the award citation crediting the implementation of a world-first Helicopter Turnaround Specific TrackerAirside Lite mobile app designed to "raise intelligence, efficiency, safety and compliance for
helicopter operations."
TrackerAirside supports the numerous duties required of workers performing high-risk, intensive, technical and one-of-a-kind helicopter hot-refueling in the oil and gas industry.
Newman was judged best small regional airport with RPT for a redevelopment design, and Broome won Regional Airport of the Year for establishing an international link with Singapore.
Archerfield's award for Metro Airport of the Year came for delivering infrastructure projects, and Cairns won Major Airport (non-capital) of the Year for their flood recovery and mitigation following airport flooding in December last year following Tropical Cyclone Jasper.
“The best in the business were on show last night and there were a lot of infrastructure accomplishments that deserved celebration,” said AAA chair Kym Meys.
“Whether it’s an airfield in a tiny community in the Kimberley, a major airport in Queensland preparing for disasters, or an international gateway carrying out developments, airports around the country are continually working to deliver a better product.”
Other winners in the 2024 National Airport Industry Awards categories were:
- Emerging Airport Leader Award – Andrea Dobson, East Kimberley Regional Airport
- Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Leadership – Sunshine Coast Airport
- Operations – Canberra Airport
- Infrastructure – Darwin International Airport
- Sustainability – Sydney Airport
- Commercial – Perth Airport
- Innovation – Townsville Airport
- Corporate Project of the Year Small Regional Airport/Aerodrome – BildGroup, Deniliquin Airport runway upgrade
- Corporate Project of the Year Large Regional Airport/Aerodrome – Fulton Hogan, Hamilton Island upgrade
- Corporate Project of the Year Major/Metro/Capital City – Airbiz, Melbourne Airport Airside Electrification Strategy.