World · East Asia & Pacific · 3 hrs ago
Burketown mayor says upgraded airstrip may need to move
Burketown’s flood-prone airstrip in Queensland’s Gulf of Carpentaria may need to move, according to the local mayor.
The airstrip was badly damaged in major flooding in 2023, leaving the community without commercial flights.
A $27 million upgrade raised the strip by 400 millimetres, and commercial flights are expected to resume in mid-November.
During nine months of construction, people could travel in and out only by bus on unreliable dirt roads.
Mayor Ernie Camp says he worries the upgraded strip may not withstand another flood like the one in 2023, while a regional councils representative says long-term resilience is important.
The mayor says a more flood-resistant location should be considered, because air services are vital for residents, emergency services and the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
The local council will consider the airstrip’s future location, while the Queensland government has not answered questions about a possible move.
Burke Shire Mayor Ernie Camp says Burketown’s upgraded, flood-prone airstrip may need to be relocated.
The $27 million upgrade raised the airstrip by 400 millimetres after major flooding in 2023.
Commercial flights are expected to resume in mid-November after nine months of construction.
Camp says he is worried the airstrip may not withstand another weather event like the 2023 flood.
Western Queensland Alliance of Councils executive director Greg Hoffman says long-term plans are needed to make Gulf assets more resilient.
- Who
- Burke Shire Mayor Ernie Camp says the airstrip may need to move. Greg Hoffman also called for long-term resilience planning.
- What
- Burketown’s upgraded airstrip may need relocation to a more flood-resistant location.
- When
- The upgrade followed the 2023 flood. Commercial flights are expected to resume in mid-November.
- Where
- Burketown, in Queensland’s Gulf of Carpentaria.
- Why
- The airstrip has been affected by flooding, and Camp is concerned it may not withstand another major weather event.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Major flooding engulfed the region and affected Burketown’s airstrip.
Construction was underway, and the only way in or out of the region was by bus on unreliable dirt roads.
Commercial flights are expected to resume after the upgrade.
- Upgrade cost
- $27 million
- Airstrip raised
- 400 millimetres
- Community location
- Burketown, 420 kilometres north of Mount Isa
- Construction period
- Nine months
- Expected flight resumption
- Mid-November
What people are saying
[Regular Public Transport] services are the lifeblood for small communities, aircraft aren't getting any smaller, and the number of people travelling on them aren't either
It certainly has been an eye-opener in the amount of human resources and heavy equipment to come here because we had to totally rebuild that airstrip
The biggest challenge we have these days is to build sufficient resilience to get ahead of the game, so we don't find ourselves in five, 10 years having to do it again