Vital upgrades funded for Orchid Beach airstrip

The Orchid Beach airstrip on Fraser Island will be getting a major upgrade to make it safer to use in emergency situations

Orchid beach, Hinchinbrook Island. Picture: Tourism and Events Queensland

THE Orchid Beach airstrip on Fraser Island will be getting a major upgrade to make it safer to use in emergency situations.

A $5000 disaster resilience grant and ongoing funding from the Fraser Coast Regional Council will be used to upgrade, preserve and sustain the airstrip.

Part of the works include improving the lighting around the helipad to make it safer for helicopters to land at night.

Acting mayor Darren Everard said the population could swell to more than 2000 people during peak holiday seasons.

"With the vast distances and terrain between communities, resorts and emergency services on Fraser Island, it's vital that emergency access is maintained," Cr Everard said.

"The Orchid Beach airstrip and helipad is the only safe and viable means for regular emergency services medical retrieval and disaster related evacuations for this remote community.

"It's been used multiple times in the past 12 months."

Fraser Coast councillor and Disaster Management Group chair Rolf Light said the council would provide an annual $5000 contribution to maintain the airstrip in addition to the disaster resilience grant.

"The Orchid Beach Progress Association is now a Community Coordination Committee, the 14th local committee established to support disaster management and resilience building activities throughout the Fraser Coast," Cr Light said.

"The council believes providing financial support to maintain and improve the Orchid Beach airstrip is an important and necessary investment to maintain our local disaster response capacity."