It’s the third-busiest airport in Australia, but not too many people know much about it.
They may soon, however: Sydney’s Bankstown Airport is undergoing an $18 million transformation to turn it into a much more significant spot on the national map.
“It’s a large site of over 300 hectares, but it’s not really been appreciated much,” said Daniel Jarosch, chief executive of Sydney Metro Airports, which operates both Bankstown and Camden airports.
“But we’re planning for it to become a much more significant precinct, like Norwest or Barangaroo in Sydney or Essendon Fields in Melbourne, with an increase in commerce and community. In some ways, it’s a bit of a blank canvas that we’re going to give a new brand and identity.”
At the moment, Bankstown Airport in Sydney’s south-west is best known as the home of small private planes as well as charter and cargo flights, emergency aircraft and the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Yet it also supports over 160 businesses, employs 2000 people and injects more than $1 billion into the NSW economy through its 24/7 operation each year.
Now that’s all set to be put in the spotlight as part of the major upgrade to make it an important gateway for the region and improve the experience for general aviation, operators, customers and visitors alike.
The vision is that the airport – which came into being during World War II as a strategic air base to support the war effort – will become a thriving contemporary destination. It will create an extra 1700 new jobs over the next five years and contribute a massive $1.64 billion a year as an integrated aviation and commercial centre for Greater Western Sydney.
“We see it as one big ecosystem with a business park, entertainment, retail, logistics and training, as well as our general aviation service, emergency, patient transfer and the RFDS,” Mr Jarosch said. “We have a vision of a gate-based system around the airport to provide place-making and wayfinding, as well as landscaping and making people much more aware of everything that’s going on here.
“For instance, recently we had a car show at the weekend at the back of the entertainment park, with go-karting facilities a great drawcard for kids and parties and family at weekends. We also have lots of attractions like virtual reality, pool, bowling, a badminton facility …”
The airport land, 26 kilometres from the Sydney CBD, is owned by the federal government with Sydney Metro Airports having a head lease that runs for the next 80 years. One of the conditions is that no residential development can be built on the land, but there’s still plenty of potential for many more developments, including the plans for a cafe with outdoor seating that will help provide a busy social hub.
The airport is owned by Aware Super, previously known as First State Super. “Every day we strive to deliver the best outcomes for our members, their families and the communities in which they live – and Bankstown Airport is an asset that does exactly that,”said chief executive Deanne Stewart.
“We’re delighted to support the airport’s placemaking enhancements with continued investment in this critical aviation asset, building on previous projects such as the NSW Police PolAir hangar and terminal upgrade.”
It’s envisioned that this stage one phase of the transformation of Bankstown Airport will be built on by later changes. But it’s hoped that it will be welcomed by the current business operators and users, as well as a new influx of visitors.
“Today we are putting people at the heart of the next chapter of Bankstown Airport by creating an attractive place for people to connect, socialise and enjoy,” Mr Jarosch said. “We’re delighted to press ahead with this placemaking initiative and make a real positive and sustainable difference to the community we operate in.”