Long-awaited upgrades to the Mount Beauty Airport have now been completed and is open for use.
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The $3.3 million project included lengthening the existing runway by 600 metres, widening it by eight metres, and constructing a new surface.
There was also an upgrade to drainage infrastructure at the site and new fencing for much of the airport perimeter.
Alpine mayor John Forsyth said that at 18 metres wide and just over 1.5km in length, the runway now would service a wide range of light and emergency aircrafts.
"This new facility will be a fantastic asset for the community into the future, and these upgrades will provide benefits to the entire region," Cr Forsyth said.
He said council received a call from major road projects in Victoria last week.
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"They are looking to utilise the facility to support fly-in-fly-out workforces to tackle the Falls Creek landslide."
The upgrades have been been more than a decade in the making.
Cr Forsyth said the upgrade would improve access for forest fire management and other fire-fighting services, providing greater flexibility for fire management services.
He also said it would improve access for Air Ambulance Victoria fixed-wing aircraft."
The upgrades will provide an economic boost for the region, with an expected increase in recreational flights to and from the airport.
The Mount Beauty Airport Upgrade was jointly funded by a 1.55 million Regional Airports Program Grant and council's contribution of 1.78 million.
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