Safe landing for Tibooburra airstrip upgrade

Tibooburra Aerodrome in the far northwest corner of NSW has been protected with a $200,000 investment by the NSW Government to repair and regrade its dirt runway.

Tibooburra Aerodrome provides a vital facility for the remote town of Tibooburra, located 1,182 kilometres northwest of Sydney, as well as surrounding communities and visitors travelling between Broken Hill and Birdsville.

The Aerodrome is used by emergency services including the Royal Flying Doctor Service, Rural Fire Service and NSW Police, as well as the Flying Padre, the Plague Locust Commission and charter flight operators.

The aerodrome has two intersecting runways to ensure aircraft can land and take-off regardless of wind direction. 

This $200,000 investment to upgrade the dirt runway follows a $720,000 investment to re-seal the main bitumen runway, taxiway and apron areas with fresh asphalt and new line markings, which was completed in May 2022.

The runway upgrades, managed and funded by the department, are part of state-wide investments in Crown reserves.

Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper said the upgrade ensures the Aerodrome complies with Civil Aviation Safety Authority requirements and can safely operate in a range of weather conditions, giving remote communities peace of mind that they have access to emergency services and other parts of NSW.

“Crown reserves play an important role protecting the environment and supporting communities with everything from airfields to showgrounds, sporting ovals, green open space, community halls and Scouts and Girl Guides halls,” Mr Kamper said.

“Maintaining and upgrading Crown reserves and their facilities ensures the community can continue to enjoy these important public assets.”