Page 91 - AA 2018_11

QAL
of diversification intrinsic to the
Gold Coast, Townsville and Mt Isa ‘That’s one
properties.
“There is quite a contrast across the
airports – their infrastructure and the
various economies. why it pays to
“When you look at any business,
one of the decisions you make in terms
of growth is how you build resilience.
Look at the evolution of the Gold portfolio.’
Coast, increasingly shifting in terms of
business and leisure, but principally a
leisure market.
“Mt Isa and Townsville were both
showing really strong growth with
a peak in 2012 then the resource
sector fell back. At the same time the
Gold Coast was growing. That’s one
indicator of why it pays to diversify
your portfolio; to have one that’s
performing more strongly when
another might not be.”
o what next in terms of into a unique aero-hub, housing a
infrastructure and service growth cluster of aerospace and support
Sin North Queensland? industries that will service both
indicator of Townsville is focusing on its latest commercial and defence clients.
20-year airport masterplan – signed Mills said the precinct is
off by the federal government in 2016 underpinned by four large purpose-
– with a current spend of $20 million built hangers.
diversify your out of $80 million allocated to the “I am a great fan of Flying Colours,”
‘Project Alive’ terminal redevelopment he said.
and associated works. “Here is a business, out of
According to QAL the Townsville, that provides services
CHRIS MILLS redevelopment will overcome capacity to both national and international
issues while making the airport more operators; a quality service competing
modern, welcoming and generally with others in the Asia Pacific.
user-friendly. “It is unfortunate that over
To date, “The airside component the years we have seen the loss of
has delivered two additional aircraft maintenance capacity from Australia
parking positions on the apron and to Asia Pacific. Flying Colours
rejuvenation of parts of the existing demonstrates that with quality you
28-year-old apron surface.” can still pick up business.
While QAL continues to work on “We were able to attract them as a
potential for expansion of services tenant here with our facilities and the
to and from Townsville, including airport. I would love to see if we could
the possibility of a Singapore service, grow maintenance opportunities in
Mills and his team are also looking that area.”
for growth in other airport-associated Mills said he would like to see that
business opportunities. include wider MRO.
He points to the Flying Colours “State and federal governments
aircraft paint operation, part of the could get behind regrowth in MRO
Northern Australia Aerospace Centre which has largely gone to Asia in
of Excellence (NAACEX) as one of the recent years.
great Townsville success stories. “Even if we picked up a small
NAACEX covers about 17 hectares percentage of business from offshore
of airport land and is being developed we would see growth in the industry
and jobs for Australia. I’d hate to
see a further decline and business to
Gold Coast Airport handles
more than 6.5 million disappear.”
He also pointed to the airport’s
passengers each year. qal
continuing link with the Department
of Defence under the terms of a joint
user agreement and potential for more
jobs related to defence industries.
At Mt Isa, Mills believes there
are opportunities for growth in
tourism, for example connections to
the picturesque region around Adels
Grove. “Isa could be the gateway to
some untapped parts of Queensland,”
he said.
Finally, what of the prospect of a
service between the two key QAL hubs
of the Gold Coast and Townsville?
The two cities have not been linked
since the demise of JetGo which ran a
service via Rockhampton.
“We discuss new market
opportunities with our airline partners
regularly and in our view there is an
opportunity to link Australia’s premier
tourist destination … with the largest
city in Northern Australia,” he said.
“We’re seeing domestic capacity
growth quite constrained at the
moment, so it’s hard to say when this
might be secured.
“But in our view something in the
100-seater range would be ideal.”
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