‘This is a magnificent facility’: Why Mackay Airport has locked in three-year Harrup Park partnership
North Queensland Airports CEO Richard Barker and Harrup Park CEO Adrian Young have revealed a three-year extension of the Harrup Park/Mackay Airport partnership. Find out what’s in store for the community
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Two of the leading drivers of the Mackay economy have extended their partnership into the next three years in what is hoped will catalyse a major boom for the community.
With an eye toward the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, Mackay Airport has maintained its partnership with Harrup Park and the Great Barrier Reef Arena for at least another 36 months, with the plan unveiled by Harrup Park CEO Adrian Young and North Queensland Airports CEO Richard Barker on Thursday.
“Working together, we can continue to enhance the profile of this thriving, quality venue and ensure it’s at the top of the list for sporting teams when they choose locations for competitions or extended training periods,” Barker said.
The announcement comes at a timely occasion for GBR Arena, as it is set to host the Australian and New Zealand women’s cricket teams for a pair of T20 matches on Thursday and Sunday.
“Major events, like those held at Harrup Park’s Great Barrier Reef Arena, draw more visitors to our region, contributing to a higher demand for flights, accommodation, and other tourism-related services. benefiting our airport and the local economy.”
Young described Mackay Airport as “the gateway to (the Mackay) region.”
“Their three-year commitment at this important period of growth will further enable to us to seize major opportunities, which will pay dividends for our region into the future,” he said.
“The international T20 matches this week are a prime example of the calibre of competitions we can entice here for regular fixtures and elite training, particularly with the Olympics now firmly on the horizon.”
Young also touted this as an opportunity for Harrup Park and the GBR Arena to further push its case for the proposed Stage 2 redevelopment, especially with a state election just around the corner.
“The partnership is helping us with the proposal for a new development at the arena, which is a community sport education and training facility,” Young said.
“We’re currently a really high quality cricket and AFL facility, but we want to develop that further to give other sports in the region the opportunity host national and state carnivals, with the Olympics down the track in mind.
“That includes Paralympic sports as well as netball, basketball, hockey and a host of other sports that currently don’t have the facilities to host those high-level events.”
The venue is yet to receive an election promise from either major party in the lead-up to the election.
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