Debrief

FIFO riches

The Barrow Island LNG project has dominated the headlines, but two on the other side of the country bear a look. Gladstone’s proposed LNG hub is estimated to generate up to 18,000 jobs. Similarly, the coal and seam gas rich Galilee Basin in central Queensland just west of the Bowen Basin near Alpha will entail three mines, a massive power station, gas plant, 500 km of standard gauge railway, a new coal port- and 10,000 jobs. Alpha is an old F27 capacity airport by and long abandoned by RPT. Galilee lies just east of Blackall and Barcaldine, where frequencies are being reduced to two flights per week in favour of more northern Queensland services. They are linked with Longreach, the route is no longer subsidised, but Barcaldine was recently upgraded to Dash 8-300 strength attracting a state government grant. Historically they averaged fewer than 10 passengers per flight on 50 seat aircraft and in NSW would be unlikely to have a service.

Construction phases should produce large numbers of fly in fly out (FIFO) workers, giving Gladstone even more impetus and may save Barcaldine and Blackall. It may even see Alpha, with a population of 400, return to FIFO then later RPT operations. QantasLink FIFO flights to Thangool serving nearby mines developed into full RPT when Sunshine Express folded, while Moranbah also recently upgraded to RPT. The Queensland Government will reap vast royalties from the two projects but if the Gladstone upgrade is any example none may be for airport upgrades or rebuilding- until next election eve.