Narrabri Shire Airport Master Plan

for Narrabri Shire Council

REHBEIN Airport Consulting was commissioned by Narrabri Shire Council to prepare a Master Plan for Narrabri Shire Airport to provide a strategic framework for the development of the airport over a 30 year planning horizon. The Master Plan addressed the need to accommodate the future demand for passenger air services largely driven by the growing resource industry in the area, as well as to make best commercial use of the available land at the airport. 

Consultation was undertaken with key stakeholders to understand the existing and potential future requirements of the airport. A close consultation relationship with the incumbent airline was established, which assisted in ensuring the effects of new routes announced during the preparation of the Master Plan on the short-term forecasts were incorporated in an appropriate and timely manner.

Due to a number of factors, historical passenger traffic was not considered to be a reliable base from which to develop forecasts of future aviation activity. Instead, short-term forecasts were derived from an understanding of the active resource companies’ growth plans, workforce estimates and expected travel behaviour, obtained from consultation.

A staged development plan for airfield infrastructure with trigger points for development was prepared which will allow Narrabri Shire to implement elements of the proposals included within the Master Plan in a focussed and strategic manner. An aviation-related commercial precinct and a non-aviation industrial precinct were also proposed as part of the Master Plan. ANEF contour maps were produced to allow integration with the local planning scheme and indicative infrastructure costs were prepared to provide guidance for funding applications for the airport’s development.