Boeing Facility A Testament to AUS Capability

The establishment of Australia’s sovereign capability, particularly in defence and aerospace, has never been so vital. One thing the pandemic has taught us in the last 18 months is that the whole logistics and supply chain can be severely disrupted very easily, and very quickly. Sovereign manufacturing capabilities in Australia therefore provide greater stability and reliability, which we now need more than ever before.

Sovereign capability also means greater local employment, which is particularly vital in Australia’s regions. Perhaps most importantly, with the extensive work that has already been poured into projects like the Loyal Wingman locally, Australia’s increased sovereign capability gives us the means and the resources to keep our intellectual property, and the benefits of that, in country.

Home to the expanding Qantas Group Pilot Academy and Toowoomba Wellcamp Regional Trade Distribution Centre, and soon to home the Queensland government’s regional accommodation facility and federal government’s Inland Rail, Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport has already established itself as a pioneering player in Queensland’s aviation, transport and trade logistics sectors.

However, here at Wellcamp, we’ve spent quite some time looking into how we can leverage our knowledge and facilities to aid and grow our great defence industry – which brought us to the establishment of the Wellcamp Aerospace and Defence Precinct.

Stage one of the precinct consists of about 200,000 square metres of net lettable land, with stage two set to be even bigger. With Boeing Defence Australia as our anchor tenant, there is already a list of other major businesses lined up to follow them here.

We expect the precinct to become Australia’s newest hub for advanced manufacturing, research and development, education and logistics, across all things aerospace and defence – and Boeing clearly agrees.

Boeing selected Wellcamp as the home for its Loyal Wingman facility for a variety of reasons, such as the ease of access to airspace, and Wellcamp’s 315 clear flying days per year. However, perhaps most important is the shared values between Boeing, Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport, and Wagner Corporation.

Like Boeing, Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport has an outstanding track record for sustainability, a key pillar in the future of the aerospace and defence industries. Wellcamp strives towards net zero emissions, and our airport has been constructed using locally-acquired Earth Friendly Concrete – a feat we intend to extend into the construction of the rest of our precinct.

Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport is also well-known for its efficiency. From our Regional Trade Distribution Centre, to our regional accommodation facility, our precinct is widely known for how quickly we can get things moving and complete in terms of logistics and construction. Plus, by choosing the Wellcamp Aerospace and Defence Precinct, Boeing, and all future tenants of the precinct, get the benefit of dealing directly with the owners of the airport, minimising hassle and maximising time-efficiency.

Thanks to Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport and Wagner Corporation’s efficiency, Boeing’s Loyal Wingman final assembly facility is on-track to be up and running by early 2023, with earthworks to begin ahead of Christmas. Looking ahead, we’re very much looking forward to welcoming and supporting Australia’s home-grown aerospace and defence capabilities well into the future.