Rex Airlines Capt Glenn Beaver, Capt Paul Vincin with Mayor Steve Baines and Desert Cave Hotel Manager Elmar Brdock at Coober Pedy Airport

 Coober Pedy Airport Upgrades Set for 2009

Coober Pedy Mayor Steve Baines has announced this week the realisation of a total sum of $1.3 million for the proposed airport terminal previously announced on 4th September by the Hon Rory McEwen MP, South Australian Minister for Regional Development.  
“After considerable work by Council, Northern Regional Development Board and the Coober Pedy Retail, Business & Tourism Association, the South Australian Tourism Commission has come on board with a further $200,000 grant for the new airport terminal”, Mayor Baines said. 

Coober Pedy Airport Luggage Office

“Together with the $500,000 grant from the Upper Spencer Gulf & Outback Enterprise Zone Fund, $500.000 that Council has committed to borrow in the 2008/2009 budget, $100.000 allocated to Regional Councils from the Federal Government recently and the $200.000 from the South Australian Tourism Commission, it gives us the $1.3 million for the new airport terminal”.

“This is great news for Coober Pedy,” said Mayor Baines. “It means that this project can now go ahead as a matter of priority and the Far North Region of South Australia may be able to attract an airline operator from the north. It will also result in a far more comfortable and enjoyable experience for our many visitors that choose to fly into and out of Coober Pedy, and give a better first impression of our unique yet
progressive town.”

Mayor Baines further said that “Council will now move ahead as a matter of urgency to have a design concept, plans and specifications drawn up for the new terminal so that we can get this project out to tender as soon as possible”.

Coober Pedy Airport - Welcome to the Opal Capital of the World

Tourism Minister Jane Lomax Smith said that the South Australian Tourism Commission was pleased to be able to support the project through its Tourism Development Fund.  “Coober Pedy is the opal capital of the world and a new terminal in this unique outback frontier is important to further enhance the visitor experience.  Most importantly, it will enable the tourism operators to develop innovative tourism packages suitable for our key interstate and international target markets which is great for the town, and great for tourism in this state”
 
Steve Baines JP
Mayor

Coober Pedy Regional Times