More than a decade of work by the City of Greater Bendigo was rewarded on Friday with the final funds for the Bendigo Airport expansion secured.
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The federal government delivered $4.5 million of funding on Friday as part of a Community Development Grant. The funding matches the state government's $4.5 million of funding and almost $1 million of funding from council.
Council chief executive Craig Niemann said the Bendigo Airport Master Plan goes back 10 years, making the final funding announcement very exciting.
"We applied for federal money through four different rounds of the Building Better Regions fund and had been close every time," he said.
"We worked with the federal government and said what options are there they said this (Community Development Grant). We are delighted they decided to fund our project and that it matches state money.
"It's a long process and a big team effort in the City and has had some great support from members of parliament.
"You've got to persist and persevere. you don't just put your hand up (and get funding). The whole process in reinforcing how important this project was involved a number of different (Bendigo) councils."
Mr Niemann said upgrading the terminal and its security would mean a better experience for travellers as well as the potential for more flight routes going through Bendigo.
"The airport master plan goes back more than 10 years, it has led to rezoning, land acquisition and funding to construct a runway - that was three way contribution, that led to the opportunity to advocate for different routes to be supported," he said.
"Qantas and its Sydney route was outcome of that work.
"As time has gone by, the Sydney flights have been really positive and well supported by the community and businesses. Qantas wanted to increase its number of flights, COVID restrictions impacted that but they want to continue growing flights.
"It's a matter of us being able to upgrade (the airport) to accommodate that and have (other airline provides) recognise that.
"People aren't there for a long time but it needs to be accommodating to the needs of travelers."
As well as the terminal, the Bendigo Airport expansion will see business opportunities developed at the air fields
"The other part of it is to develop industrial land that has limited infrastructure - power, water, sewers and roads - and to enable that land to develop into smaller industrial parcels to be taken up by business that want to be located by the airport or close to town," Mr Neimann said. "It won't be big lots or in competition with Marong's Bendigo Regional Employment Precinct.
"We hope to have more hangar areas as well. We had a lot of demand for hangar space with private citizens wanting to house their aircraft and some businesses as well. So we want to accommodate that future demand."
The next step in the Bendigo Airport upgrade will be putting the project out to tender to find a design and construction team.
"We are having to go to tender this week and hope deliver the project mid-next year," Mr Niemann said.
"Right now it is about testing the market in terms of dollars and cents in line with our budget.
"(The tenders) will enable a four-week period to get response. Then there is a review period, assessment and, subject to everything falling into place, it will be a couple months at least to roll through there and get things up and running."
With the airport project slowly coming together, Mr Niemann said council was not short of other projects to turn its focus to.
"There always transport and infrastructure projects, walking and cycling paths, recreation and sporting facilities," he said.
"The art gallery redevelopment and the Bendigo Regional Employment Precinct (are ongoing) and there's the Golden Dragon Museum. We are looking at a business case for the redevelopment of (the museum). It needs to expand for the additional dragons and artifacts and create a great local and visitor experience for the community."
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