“Airport flak fightback.” Central Coast Express Advocate, 1 September 1995.
This article captures Wyong Shire Council’s response to the substantial public opposition that had developed around the proposed expansion of Warnervale Airport during 1995.
Rather than focusing primarily on the proposed airport itself, the article presents the council’s argument that the development was neither sudden nor undertaken without prior planning. General manager John Dawson outlined a chronology beginning with the 1977 Central Coast Structure Plan and continuing through rezoning, environmental studies, property notations, the 1993 airport master plan and Environmental Impact Study, and the eventual involvement of Traders Finance Australia.
The chronology is particularly valuable because it records the council’s contemporary account of how Warnervale evolved from an aerodrome predominantly serving light aircraft and pilot training into a proposed regional airport. It also documents specific milestones including the proposed 1800-metre main runway, 800-metre cross runway and the formal development consent issued in January 1994.
The accompanying “Targeting tourism” section illustrates the economic argument being advanced in support of the development. Professor Les Eastcott of the Central Coast Regional Development Corporation predicted substantial tourism revenue and employment benefits, particularly in connection with the approaching 2000 Sydney Olympics.
As a contemporary newspaper account, the article also demonstrates how polarised the Warnervale Airport debate had become by late 1995. Council presented the project as the result of almost two decades of planning and consultation, while the Central Coast Airport Action Group continued to raise concerns about noise, flight times, aircraft size, freight traffic and environmental impacts.
Historical significance reflects the importance of an item in documenting the history of Warnervale Airport, the Central Coast Aero Club and the surrounding community. A high significance rating does not indicate that statements, opinions, claims or predictions contained in the original material are endorsed by the Central Coast Aero Club or remain accurate today. Newspaper reports, letters and other historical documents are presented in their original historical context.
This historical newspaper article is reproduced as part of the Central Coast Aero Club Historical Archive for research, education and the preservation of local aviation history. Copyright in the original article, photographs and other published material remains with the respective authors, publishers and/or other copyright holders.
Where known, the original publication, date and other source information have been acknowledged.
If you are the copyright holder, or represent the copyright holder, and believe material displayed in this archive should not be reproduced, please Contact Us. We will promptly review the material and, where appropriate, remove it or amend its attribution.
Let us know what you were trying to find and we’ll point you in the right direction.