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Old 11th Mar 2013, 00:24
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Family building own airport in QLD

Why not!

http://www.news.com.au/travel/australia/high-flying-family-build-own-airport-in-toowoomba/story-e6frfq89-1226594237298


DYNASTY: Joe, Henry, Neil, John and Denis Wagner on the runway site. Pic: David Martinelli
ONE of Queensland's wealthiest families has come up with a dramatic solution to Brisbane Airport's woes - they are building their own airport.
The Toowoomba-based Wagners - who own a construction, infrastructure and engineering empire - have started work on the $100 million-plus Wellcamp Airport on the inland city's western outskirts.

Brisbane to lose millions over runway stoush
The facility, with a 2.87km runway capable of taking jets up to Boeing 747s, will be in use by the second half of next year and is expected to handle 500,000 passengers a year by 2019.

"It is bold," John Wagner said. "This will be a total game-changer for Toowoomba and our region."

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The site of the new Toowoomba airport. Pic: David Martinelli
It was designed primarily as a gateway for fly-in fly-out workers and charter services to and from the booming mining and gas regions of the Surat, Galilee and Bowen Basins, but the Wagners also want regular scheduled passenger services.

"We've had discussions with airlines," Mr Wagner said. "Because no-one has built an airport like this, a lot of people were sceptical early on.

"But the tide has turned and there is a lot of interest now they can see it's a reality."

Mr Wagner says that as the largest inland city in Australia after Canberra, Toowoomba will be an attractive destination for operators.

And he believes Wellcamp Airport will be a viable alternative to Brisbane Airport which is struggling to fund a new parallel runway project.


View from what will be the centre of the 3km long runway being built by the Wagner Family. Pic: David Martinelli
"We don't know how the whole Brisbane Airport situation will play out," Mr Wagner said. "At best, their new runway will not be ready until 2020, or 2022 more likely."

The Wagners were No.11 on The Sunday Mail Queensland's Top 150 Rich List last year with estimated fortune of $613 million.
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