ONE of Bendigo’s greatest strengths could turn out to be its biggest weakness when it comes to getting passenger flights off the ground.
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The city’s proximity to Melbourne is a major attraction for anyone seeking the benefits of regional living while remaining in arm’s reach of the capital.
A person can be standing in the desolate Hargreaves Mall and scarcely two hours later, travelling by car or train, arrive in the bustling Bourke Street Mall.
The ease with which Bendigo residents can access the capital’s plethora of medical, education and entertainment options is the envy of regional counterparts in other states.
But this geographical proximity has always proved a disadvantage when it comes to securing the services of a commercial airline. With Tullamarine just 90 minutes down the highway, it would be a huge gamble in a notoriously fickle industry for an airline to take.
The absence of passenger services certainly does not mean that Bendigo Airport lies dormant.
It is utilised by training provider Bendigo Aviation Services, the Bendigo Flying Club, Air Ambulance Victoria and charter outfits, among others.
But the City of Greater Bendigo would not have committed to a major redevelopment of the airport unless it was convinced it could attract a commercial carrier.
The three-stage upgrade – costed at $21 million, of which $6.1 million is ratepayers’ money and the rest government grants – has at its heart a runway extension designed to cater for planes with up to 70 passengers.
There are two questions everyone wants answered. Where will they fly to and what will it cost?
It is impossible to entertain Bendigo to Melbourne flights. There are simply not enough residents who could afford to fly, and the service could not rely solely on the business community for customers.
That leaves Sydney and Adelaide as the most likely destinations, but does the demand for direct flights from Bendigo to these cities truly exist?
Establishing a new regional commercial passenger route is fraught with risk, with carriers treading a fine line between high costs and low margins.
Securing a service and ensuring the airport upgrade does not become a white elephant will be one of the biggest challenges facing the next council.
- Ross Tyson, deputy editor