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Work will begin soon on an $857,000 upgrade of Port Augusta Airport to cope with expanding resources industry flights.
The work will include improvements to the passenger terminal and an enlarged, long-term car park for fly-in fly-out staff as well as expansion of the apron.
The SA Minister from Regional Development, Gail Gago, said the upgrade would be carried out under a joint Commonwealth-State enterprise program.
“Upgrading the airport is critical to reinforcing Port Augusta’s role to strategically service mining, processing, and infrastructure developments in the Far North” of the State, she said.
The development also would assist operations of the Port Augusta base of the Royal Flying Doctor Service and provide a boost for regional tourism, including the nearby Flinders Ranges.
A Port Augusta Council official, Brenton Daw, said work was expected to begin in July.
Passenger demand had grown strongly and was running at up to 200 people a day on Sharp Airlines RPT services and charter flights to resources projects.
Of the FIFO work, about 80 percent related to the OZ Minerals mine at Prominent Hill, he said.
The upgrade is expected to be completed by early in 2014.
Chris Milne
