By DANIELLE GALVIN
CARDINIA Shire Council is flying high following the State Government’s plans for the location of Melbourne’s third major airport.
Minister for Planning Matthew Guy confirmed on Wednesday morning that the council had scouted possible sites for the airport between Kooweerup and Lang Lang with the support of the State Government.
It follows a report by Star News Group in July about the possibility of the airport in Monomeith.
“An airport to the south-east of Melbourne would serve one-third of Victoria’s population including the 300,000 residents of Gippsland,” Mr Guy said.
“It would have the benefit of good transport connections and the potential of future rail access.”
The plans form part of the Plan Melbourne report released on Wednesday.
Mayor Brett Owen said there was a strong case to develop a major airport in Melbourne’s south-east and the shire was the perfect place.
“Benefits of a new Melbourne airport right here in the shire are endless,” he said.
“It would benefit millions of people, create thousands of jobs, ease traffic congestion, increase tourism and not to mention, together with the Port of Hastings, be the foundation for a sustainable regional economy.
“We are very much looking forward to working with the government to fully explore this proposal and unlock the potential of Cardinia shire as a destination for the nation.”
Councillor Owen said the airport would make the city the number one international tourist destination in Australia and make it the only city of its size with three airports.
“What a lot of people don’t know is that this region has the equivalent population of Adelaide and is four times the size of Canberra,” he said.
“Both these cities have a domestic and international airport each yet there is nothing out here where the real need is.
“People want it, Melbourne needs it, it can happen here.”
