Gunnedah Airport could become a site for aerial fire-fighting operations in future.
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Gunnedah Shire Council has been in talks with Rural Fire Service (RFS) NSW about the possibility since it allocated land next to the airport for a new Gunnible RFS station.
The topic was raised at last week's extraordinary meeting when councillors voted to allocate $73,000 for a comprehensive pavement inspection and field survey of the airport to help determine future possibilities.
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Council's infrastructure services director Jeremy Bartlett said it was "unlikely" aerial fire-fighting could be included in the RFS' plans "if we were not to continue down this path".
Liverpool Range RFS district manager Myles O'Reilly told the NVI that "nothing is set in stone".
"There is a certain logic in a site being beside an airport but there's nothing else further than that at the moment. It's just people talking ... we'll have more conversations as we progress forward," he said.
Mr Bartlett said there were 65 takeoffs and landings exempt from fees at the Gunnedah airport in the last financial years. The 130 movements were made by emergency services and defense.
Cr Rob Hooke said the potential for an aerial fire-fighting set-up at the airport was "something that I certainly hadn't considered and something that hasn't been considered in any prior discussions" around airport maintenance.
There is a certain logic in a site being beside an airport but there's nothing else further than that at the moment.
- Myles O'Reilly, RFS NSW
"I think it's a very relevant point that we have the highest capacity of fire-fighting facilities we possibly can in the district, especially with what has gone on in the immediate past in the summer," he said.
"We were lucky to not have been affected but that doesn't mean we may not be affected by fires in the future so I think we need to go ahead and do whatever is necessary to see what needs to be done to bring this airport up to standard."
Mr O'Reilly said there was no timeline on the Gunnible station yet because "it depends on a whole number of factors", but the RFS will prepare a development application and submit it to the council. Funding will be secured internally.
The station will have facilities including a kitchenette and multiple bays for vehicles and equipment, which are currently stored on private properties. A new truck was recently sent to the area.
"The site is particularly good for the station. It will be able to draw its membership from around the area," Mr O'Reilly said.
