At the airport on Wednesday, Member for Orange Andrew Gee announced almost $1.5 million had been secured to improve the airport’s facilities to accommodate increased visitor numbers and stimulate the regional economy. 

“It’s wonderful news because it means the runway will be resurfaced to make it safe for jets and also one of the taxiways will be upgraded as well,” he said.

“I think it’s very important for the future growth of Orange because we have to get ready for the next mining boom that will no doubt come, but we also need to build our tourism infrastructure as well.

“The goal of the NSW government is to double the regional overnight stays by 2021 - it’s a big ask but there’s no better way to do that than investing in our regional airports, which get people from the other side of the sandstone curtain, out into country NSW.”

Mr Gee said his government needs to do everything it can to decrease the tyranny of distance between the country and the city, and this upgrade will make it easier for people travelling in and out of the country for business, health, mining or commerce.

Orange mayor John Davis welcomed the NSW government’s support for the latest  airport upgrade.

“Like the earlier upgrade, which lengthened the main runway, this funding will let the council spray a fine micro-seal across the runway surface, preventing small stone chips from potentially damaging jet engines,” he said.

“This is about putting infrastructure in place for the airport’s long-term future.”

Orange City Council technical services director Chris Devitt said the upgrade would allow for increased charter operations.

“There is an increased demand for jets to come to our airport,” he said.

“They can operate more efficiently and that’s what the industry is moving toward so we want to be in a position to cater for that growth.”

Upgrades will go out on tender and are expected to begin at the second half of this year.

bryson.ferreira@fairfaxmedia.com.au