Gannawarra Shire Council: Cohuna Aerodrome

Mar 31, 2014 by     Comments Off    Posted under: Capital Works < $1M

The Cohuna Aerodrome Upgrade – Phase One delivered critical infrastructure improvements and upgrades at the Cohuna Aerodrome, immediately improving its accessibility and capacity. The individual constituent elements of the infrastructure upgrade combined to ensure a comprehensive approach to the improvements of the facility.

The works resulted in immediate and substantial community benefits such as:

  • Improved lighting, approaches and widened the runway to allow full night use by the Air Ambulance
  • Creating the right conditions for increased business and leisure use of the facility, to the direct benefit of the local economy
  • Directly complement the regional objective of creating and maintaining competitive aviation industry infrastructure, to the benefit of the social and economic wellbeing of regional Victoria

Project Description

This project was necessary both to improve the competiveness and usefulness of the airfield to the local community, and to complement broader strategic initiatives to establish aviation industry infrastructure that encourages and supports growth and development in Regional Victoria.

Quantitative benefits of the project were:

  • Aerodrome complies fully with CASA Standards
  • Improved response times to medical emergencies – the ability for the Air Ambulance to land at the aerodrome at night provides a better and speedier service to patients
  • Reduced numbers of deaths from serious accidents/sudden hospitalisation – full access for the Air Ambulance provides enhanced links to specialist medical services and facilities in regional  centres, providing improved treatment for patients and enhancing the prospects of full recovery
  • New jobs created – both during the construction phase of the project, and thereafter due to increased use of the facility
  • New business start-ups facilitated – through improved regional connectivity and enhanced competitiveness of the Cohuna area as a business environment
  • Increased visitor numbers and associated spend –  enhanced capacity of the aerodrome will facilitate increased leisure and recreational use

Qualitative benefits of the project are:

  • Enhanced community health and wellbeing – through improved access to medical care services, facilitated by better coverage by Air Ambulance
  • Strengthening of local economy – through enhanced connectivity to regional and interstate markets and suppliers
  • Improved community sustainability – through investment in a key infrastructure asset that will deliver long-term social and economic benefits, reinforcing the perception that Cohuna is a vibrant and growing community where residents, businesses and visitors can invest with confidence
  • Reinforcing the role of Cohuna in the region – investment in the aerodrome ensures that Cohuna performs an enhanced role as a gateway to the Murray Valley, embedding its position as a regionally significant service centre
  • An overall strengthening of the local aviation industry infrastructure – recent environmental challenges (including the 2011 floods) have underscored the role of local airstrips in providing connections and services during emergencies. Investment at Cohuna Aerodrome ensures that the facility can be utilised effectively in the event of interruptions to services at other regional airfields.

In summary, this project directly addressed strategic guidance conveyed in the Loddon Mallee Regional Strategic Plan – Northern Region and represented the first phase of investment at Cohuna Aerodrome to address the pressing need to bring the facility up to CASA standards.

This project is the first phase of an initiative which will see the comprehensive upgrade of the Cohuna Aerodrome, providing an enhanced facility for business and leisure users and service providers (i.e. Air Ambulance). The specific infrastructure improvements that were delivered through this phase of the project were:

  • Bring mains power from the aerodrome gate to the runway
  • Upgrade and ensure appropriate spacing of Pilot Activated Airfield Lighting Control (PAALC) to current requirements
  • Realign runway drainage infrastructure so that it is not located within the (enlarged) flight safety area
  • Widen runway 15/33 – to comply with Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) standards – from 15 metres to 18 metres, and safeguard clearance zones
  • Relocate windsock to a position outside the obstacle limitation zone

This project provided both economic and socio-economic benefits resulting in new investment and complementing other investments, significantly contributing to the viability of the designated airport, potential to facilitate the integration of the local region into global markets and strategic industry development.

This first phase of works was designed and implemented to be compatible with future improvements, and it is anticipated that increased usage of the aerodrome resulting from this project will enhance the prospects of further investment and development at the site in the future. There is scope and potential for the aerodrome to play a key role in enhancing the region’s connectivity with more distant markets.

This project had broad support from the Cohuna community, and the local community plan identified that appropriate investment in infrastructure will directly benefit the local economy and enhance the perception of the area as a place to live and visit.

Council acknowledges that the provision and upgrading of critical community infrastructure assets will often involve the deployment of skills and resources which are not wholly accessible within (or by) the local community. There is an understanding that partnership with government is necessary in order to safeguard and enhance the local infrastructure. In connection with this project, Council staff undertook a large majority of the works and project management which relied heavily on strong communication between local agencies, other contractors and the community.

This project directly addressed strategic guidance conveyed in the Loddon Mallee Regional Strategic Plan – Northern Region, specifically the below policies:

  • Strategic Direction 2 – Strengthen our settlements and communities, especially our small towns
  • Strategic Direction 3 – Strengthen and diversify our economy
  • Strategic Direction 4 – Improve our infrastructure

Contribution by Team

Gannawarra Shire Council is located in the Loddon Murray region abutting the Murray River. The Shire comprises the towns of Cohuna, Koondrook, Kerang, Murrabit, Lalbert, Quambatook and Leitchville as well as a large number of smaller rural settlements.

Council has recently endorsed its Council Plan 2013-2017, ‘A Point of Difference’, which highlights the corporate vision for the next four years, to lead us into the future. The priority areas within our Council Plan are:

  • Strong and diverse economy
  • Sustainable environments
  • Healthy liveable communities
  • Effective management and leadership

Council has a clear vision for the future and a strong commitment to work closely with the community to deliver outcomes that will make a real difference to the liveability, productivity and sustainability of our shire and the health and wellbeing of our community.

Council has invested significantly in the development of a suite of plans which, when viewed collectively, provide a clear ‘road map’ for targeted investment and effort. Council will build upon the inherent strengths of the area to create opportunities for its people. Our services and programs will reflect community priorities and demonstrate linkages to key initiatives that will strengthen the wider region.

We aim to promote the strong sense of place and civic pride that defines its communities as a means of encouraging inward investment and stimulating sustainable development.

Council will become agile enough to respond to a changing economic, financial and political landscape – remaining pragmatic in balancing investment in services which meet the day-to-day needs of communities, whilst pursuing opportunities to deliver strategic initiatives that progressively build the liveability of the Shire.

Out workplace consists of over 135 equivalent full time employees in a diverse range of fields including administration, road maintenance, engineering, planning, parks and gardens, community care, customer service, risk management, asset management, environmental health, child care, finance, and community development. Council is committed to the principles of respect, equity and safety in the workplace and our goal is to provide a safe healthy and pleasant workplace where our employees feel valued and supported in the conduct of their work.

General comments

As part of this project, Gannawarra Shire Council was pleased to welcome Minister for the Aviation Industry, the Hon Gordon Rich-Phillips on 8 November 2012 to announce $269,000 funding through the Regional Aviation Fund towards this project. In addition to this funding, Gannawarra Shire Council allocated $60,000 from their Capital Works budget to ensure this project was completed satisfactorily.

The project commenced in March 2013 and was completed within budget in May 2013, one of the first projects to be completed under the Regional Aviation Fund.

Gannawarra Shire Council depot staff undertook the sub-base, drainage works, and all other support works and project management. Council liaised with various outside organisations to ensure the prompt completion of this project, with minimal disruption to the local community and services.

The Cohuna Aerodrome Upgrade – Phase One was officially opening by Mayor Cr Neville Goulding, on behalf of the Minister for the Aviation Industry, on Tuesday 9 July 2013 in front of councillors, local hospital staff, ambulance members and Council staff.

Following the opening, this project was nominated, and subsequently won, for Airport of the Year for a non-certified aerodrome at the Australian Airports Association National Airport Industry Awards, held in Darwin in September 2013.

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