Wagners are bringing us a proper airport at last

OPINION: Professor Peter Swannell visits the Wagner family's Wellcamp airport to get a glimpse of how construction is progressing.

Artist's impression of Wellcamp Airport. Picture: Contributed

I'VE known about Wagners and the Wagner family since soon after I came to Toowoomba in 1990.

I met them through USQ and our work on the development of fibre composites.

I had colleagues in the Engineering Faculty who were more expert and knowledgeable in such things than anybody else.

Wagners were fair, hard-nosed supporters of the research.

They had the commercial expertise to turn excellent fundamental research into profitable outcomes. They didn't muck about then; they don't muck about now.

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They are not mucking about out at the Wellcamp Airport site.

A couple of weeks ago their chairman, John Wagner, invited me to accompany him on a site visit to their rapidly developing airport and business park.

I've had very little contact with John in recent years, knowing his mother better than I know him, but I was delighted to accept his invitation.

I am slightly fanatical about aeroplanes and airports. As a passenger I've taken off, and landed, 762 times.

Artist's impression of Wellcamp Airport. Picture: Contributed

I've flown into or out of 94 airports at least once since my first flight back in 1963.

That includes 226 departures from Brisbane Airport, many at sparrow fart, and 30 different Australian airports.

So I may not be an expert but I'm getting better.

I live immediately under the flight path into our present airport.

Dash 8 pilots give me a call on their final approach so I can open my front door and let them through the house.

I last commented on this just a year ago. The sub-editor on that occasion gave it the entirely accurate heading (quote) "Piddling little airport is a waste of ratepayer's money".

I had written that the need for a proper, jet-capable airport is still obvious. So is the stupidity of sticking a bit more tarmac on the end of an inadequate facility.

This is still my view and it is reinforced by my visit to Wellcamp.

So, for what it's worth, am I in favour of the Wellcamp development? Yes I most certainly am.

It's got very little to do with the effect on traffic into the present airport which will still be available to private aircraft.

Of course, however, my flight path experience makes me sympathetic to any legitimate noise worries arising from the new airport.

Quite honestly, after my site visit, after studying the detailed site plans, runway alignment, anticipated flight paths and anticipated flight frequencies, I think the problems will be minimal.

Wagners are very mindful of any substantive concerns from the very small number of people who live immediately near to the new airport. The proposed flight paths do not impinge on existing communities.

I was astonished by the scale, scope and progress being made on a project that is entirely within land already owned by Wagners.

All the civil works, including the runway, all its necessary amenities and the retail and business developments, will be contained within their own boundaries. All the earthworks use rock and fill generated from within their own property.

Ongoing user access to the airport and business park will be facilitated by the new, adjacent, Toowoomba Bypass.

The entire Wagner enterprise will be relocated to the Wellcamp site.

If they've got it right they will eventually make themselves a pile of money and why not? If they've got it wrong then there's at least $100 million of their own money on the line.

I think we are seeing a magnificent initiative, crucial to the business, tourism and communications future of our region.

Wagners are planning an Open Day for mid-November, with an opportunity to get all the facts first-hand.

This is a proper airport. You will be bowled over by the scale and quality of the operation and the planning that has gone into it.

Originally published as Wagners are bringing us a proper airport at last