Cade Lucas
The decision to pause construction on a rail link to Melbourne Airport, could result in travellers from Wyndham turning to Avalon Airport, according to the Committee for Wyndham.
Committee for Wyndham chief executive Barbara McLure said another delay in the long -awaited project could benefit Avalon, which is situated just over Wyndham’s western boundary in Lara.
“Avalon Airport is really important to our region and they’re actively working on more services into that airport which is very exciting, ” Ms McLure said.
Avalon sits within Geelong City Council, but is considered Melbourne’s second airport.
It currently only offers flights to Sydney and the Gold Coast, but has operated international routes in the past.
While it has no rail link either, Ms McLure said Avalon’s close proximity to Wyndham makes it much easier to access than Tullamarine.
“It’s a great journey (to Avalon), somewhere around about a 30 minute drive, but if you’re going peak hour out to Tullamarine you have to allow at least an hour.”
The amount of companies in Wyndham with overseas interests was another reason that easy access to the airport was so important.
“We’ve got a lot of leading edge businesses in Wyndham, with suppliers coming in to sell product and producers going overseas to trade fairs and to sell their product” she said.
Avalon Airport was contacted for comment.
On Monday, April 17, deputy premier and Transport Minister Jacinta Allan told ABC radio the Melbourne Airport Rail project won’t be completed by 2029.
Even though the airport rail link wouldn’t come to Wyndham directly, Ms McLure said delays to the project would still deny the area much-needed public transport infrastructure.
The state government is also reportedly set to delay the Geelong Fast Rail service, which would enable faster services through Melbourne’s west.
“Part of this decision was about the Geelong fast rail as well, so here we are in the west missing out again,“ Ms McLure said,
The government has previously said that a Geelong rail link has to be completed before the electrification of rail lines to Wyndham Vale and Melton can take place.
Ms McLure said Wyndham badly needed better rail infrastructure.
“Sixty per cent of our employed residents leave Wyndham to go to work and you only have to drive on the freeway in the morning to see how many are in cars and we need that PT infrastructure to move around and rail is part of that.”
