By JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
A MAJOR commercial and retail zone could create thousands of jobs at Avalon Airport, its chief has told Geelong’s business community.
“We’re looking to establish a big commercial zone of both industrial and retail sites over the next two or three years,” Justin Giddings said.
“All airports have big industrial and retail sectors and it is where the majority of revenue comes from.
“This will be huge for jobs, especially the 3214 postcode area with its current unemployment issues.
“Just the retail sector alone, at 40 per cent capacity, would create 1500 jobs and these would be good jobs for the region.”
Mr Giddings told the Geelong Business Network breakfast that Avalon would be unprofitable on aircraft operations alone.
“It’s a 1700-hectare site and it’s an expensive site to run so the ability to diversify into other revenue streams is important.
“We need to restrain costs and diversify revenue. Airlines will only come to Avalon based on low costs.
“As an example, we face a $10 million cost on a runway overlay next year.”
Mr Giddings said permanent facilities could be developed to accommodate the airport’s popular biennial international airshow.
“We have a deal to keep it until 2025 but infrastructure is an issue.
“At moment we put up a big marquee every two years and it costs a couple of million dollars to do it.
“We save a lot if we can establish permanent infrastructure for the airshow and we can use the space for other things as well.”
Mr Giddings also revealed new uses for hangars that Qantas engineering vacated 18 months ago.
“We’ve leased hangar six and we use hangar one regularly for filming. We hosted about 40 or 50 different filming events last year.
“The Victorian Government has taken another one for its firebombing aircraft as it has the last few years.”
Mr Giddings said a project was underway to improve bus links to Avalon as well as connections with Lara Railway Station.
“With the Regional Rail Link there’s a real opportunity to attract people from the western suburbs and even Southern Cross to catch a train to Lara, jump on a shuttle and come to Avalon.
“We have to do some more work on making sure the schedules work and eliminating any connection issues,” he said.
