The Bourke airstrip is receiving improvements and supporting the regional town's blossoming economy thanks to $15 million in funding from the Regional Development Trust.

Funding has been allocated to the Bourke, White Cliffs, and Deniliquin airstrips. 

Upgrades at Bourke will include increasing runways, lengths, widths, and weight limits allowing for heavier planes with bigger loads to land on the strip, as well as safety upgrades such as taxiway, lighting, and line markings.

“These upgrades are about making sure we are boosting service delivery to regional NSW and that we are building strong and resilient regional communities now and into the future," Minister for Western NSW Tara Moriarty said. 

The airports in Bourke, Deniliquin, and White Cliffs were selected based on consultation with government and health services, including the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS).

"Bourke is an important centre for the RFDS and a regional centre for vital services for local communities,"  Mark Davey, Executive General Manager for Aviation and Operations at the RFDS South Eastern Section said.

"From here we perform inter-hospital transfers, which is where we transport people from the local hospital in Bourke, or other locations, to more specialist care at Dubbo, or even Sydney."

Mr Davey said they have not had trouble getting in and out of Bourke but it is vital that the airport is prepared for the future.

"From an RFDS perspective, we have adapted to the unique conditions of operating in rural and remote locations. Most of our aircraft are KingAir B200s and are very adaptable and suitable for most locations we travel to. 

"While the airport upgrades program won’t have a material impact on our operations, we recognise how important it is for this critical infrastructure to be upgraded and future-proofed. 

"It’s a fantastic program," Mr Davey said.

 Photograph of Royal Flying Doctor Service VH-VPX in Bourke. Photo: Q8682 Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0

The growing economy in Bourke will also benefit from the upgrades.

“Business is booming in Bourke, the opportunity to upgrade the Bourke airstrip will allow for larger aircraft to land to service the health and local business sectors, supporting the local economy, and local jobs," Bourke mayor Lachlan Ford said.

"It's wonderful news."

The goat abattoir is one of the businesses that frequently uses the airport and has experienced significant growth since reopening in 2022, attracting more people to town. 

“Investing in our regional airstrips and aerodromes will help ensure rural and remote communities can continue to access the services they need, whether it’s health, emergency, or business services, and especially in times of a critical incident when they are needed most," Ms Moriarty said.

The funding is part of the $400 million Regional Development Trust to ensure remote communities have access to healthcare and emergency services. 

How the $15 million will be distributed among the three airports has yet to be announced.