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Regional stakeholders are calling for more flights from Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport to better serve western Queensland.
A roundtable held at the airport in November endorsed the idea that the Queensland Government should move regional services from Brisbane to Toowoomba, as reported by The Chronicle. It comes as the state prepares for a review of subsidised regional routes.
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Dr John McVeigh, chairman of Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise (TSBE), said the discussion strongly endorsed the idea that Wellcamp “should be the preferred hub for western Queensland flights, rather than Brisbane as it currently is”.
“The flights are state government supported routes, and while they are conducting their review we are pointing to Wellcamp as a preferred location for many in western Queensland from a health service perspective, education and industry, particularly the resources sector – whether that’s gas or the burgeoning renewable energy sector,” he said.
“We would like to see daily flights from Toowoomba to Roma and flights that we call north-south connectivity, so people from ports in South West Queensland can fly to Toowoomba and then onto places like Sydney.
“It is far more convenient and meets demand better if Toowoomba is the hub. In terms of the airlines that will win the flights in the future, Rex is a current operator but there are other options and ultimately that is a state government decision.”
According to McVeigh, the move would be “about ensuring equity for those in South West Queensland”.
“Flights to Roma from Brisbane are full – they are heavily patronised by gas companies, and that can mean at times it is very difficult for locals to get a flight,” he said.
“We are hearing numerous stories of people from Roma having to decide whether they drive to Toowoomba or fly to Brisbane and drive back to Toowoomba in a rental car.”
The roundtable was part of a consultation process for a review of the state’s regulated air services. Minister for Transport and Main Roads, Brent Mickelberg, last month said the government is looking to make sure regional Queenslanders stay connected.
“Reliable, affordable, and accessible air services are a lifeline for regional and remote communities. They ensure Queenslanders can reach essential services, engage in business opportunities, and stay connected with family and culture,” he said.
“That’s why we’re listening closely to locals. Their feedback will help shape future aviation contracts, so these services are delivering in a way that meets community needs.
“We want every Queenslander – no matter where they live – to have confidence that there are transport options available to them, and this consultation is a critical step in delivering that.”
Queensland currently regulates and subsidises seven regional services to 23 towns across the state, six of which are operated by Rex and one by QantasLink, where flights would otherwise be commercially unviable for the airlines.
The seven services – two western, two central, two northern, and one Gulf of Carpentaria – have caps on their maximum airfares, with airfares below the cap at the discretion of the airlines.
