The Point Cook RAAF base will receive a $100 million facelift. 43468 Picture: KRISTIAN SCOTT
By XAVIER SMERDON
THE Royal Australian Air Force base in Point Cook will receive a $100 million redevelopment, Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced last week.
Ms Gillard and the Minister for Defence Material Jason Clare visited the RAAF base, the oldest continually operated military flying base in the world, last week to announce the funding.
According to a media release issued by the Prime Minister, the redevelopment proposal will involve replacing obsolete engineering infrastructure to support the future development of the base.
“It also includes making the museum and heritage areas at the Point Cook Base more accessible to the public,” the media release read.
“The redevelopment plans are expected to cost around $100 million and will generate many job opportunities during construction.”
A public consultation process will be conducted during the design development stage. Construction is expected to commence by the end of 2014, following planning approval, and is likely to take around three years.
“In the interim, Defence will commence maintenance work worth nearly $2 million to improve several heritage structures including the Bellman hangars at the base this financial year,” the media release read.
Ms Gillard also announced that a contamination remediation project would be undertaken at the former fire training area at the South East side of the base.
It will involve the excavation and treatment of soil contaminated with around 950,000 litres of liquids and will also look at potential safety and environmental risks.
“The works will ultimately restore the site to a natural looking state and in a condition that supports continued Defence use.”
