Wellcamp Airport marks 10 years since opening with a huge party
Thousand of families gathered at Wellcamp Airport to celebrate 10 years since it opened, and to listen to some of Australia’s top musicians.
QLD News
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The love and respect Darling Downs residents have for the Wagner family and Wellcamp Airport were on full display on Sunday when more than 15,000 turned out for the airport’s 10-year anniversary celebration.
The day started at 10.30am and closed with headline performances from country music stars Lee Kernaghan and Luke Geiger.
Wagner Corporation Chairman John Wagner said he was in awe of the turnout.
“It was sensational, there were people everywhere,” he said.
“I really want to thank the community for what it has done for Wellcamp Airport over the past 10 years.
“I think the people of Toowoomba consider the airport to be a community asset and as such when you put an event on like this it is pleasing to see that people are prepared to take the time and bring their kids out.”
The decision to build an airport with a runway that could service Boeing 747s started in 2012 with a simple Google search.
Mr Wagner was on Google Earth and measured out a 3km stretch that was pointing in the right direction.
“I met with my brothers (Denis, Neill and Joe) on the Monday morning, over the bonnet of the car, and we made the decision to go ahead with it.”
What followed was a whirlwind exercise to deliver an international-standard airport within two years – an idea that was considered laughable to the aviation industry.
“It wasn’t just Toowoomba, there was a lot of scepticism in the aviation community,” Mr Wagner said.
“I’d go to conferences and say to people we’re building this airport, and they’d just laugh at you.”
The weekend celebrations started on Friday with a lunch held at the airport with the backers, clients and long-term customers who have supported the Wagner Corporation over the past 35 years.
The private event was headlined by Delta Goodrem.
Ten years on and the airport is still growing, despite the hurdles thrown at the family by the Covid pandemic.
So too is the business park that surrounds it.
Already it is home to Pyrocall, MPC Kinetic, Rain Agribusiness and Wagners Composite Fibre Technologies, while Boeing is set to build its new manufacturing centre that will produce the next generation of military drones.
Mr Wagner said the business park had huge potential for hi-tech jobs.
“In the next 10 years I see the Wellcamp Airport and Business Park having 15,000 to 20,000 employees,” he said.
”Let’s have a crack.”
Originally published as Wellcamp Airport marks 10 years since opening with a huge party
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