ORANGE has claimed another victory over Bathurst by becoming the aviation hub of the Central West.
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In the same way, it surpassed Bathurst in becoming the medical hub in the Central West by building the new Orange Base Hospital and thus attracting a wide range of medical services.
By attracting Qantas Link (on top of both Corporate Air and Rex), Orange now has flights direct to Melbourne and Brisbane as well as strong competition for flights into Sydney.
Meanwhile, our sole provider in Bathurst struggles with numbers every day, often having to rely on Parkes to make Bathurst air services viable.
Over the past six years, Bathurst Regional Council has spent millions of dollars at Bathurst Airport - building one new subdivision (that has not had a single structure built) only to now devote valuable funds to a second subdivision.
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During all this, Bathurst has lost 18 general aviation aircraft over the past three years and involved itself in a well-publicised protracted dispute with existing leaseholders over outrageous rents.
Maybe council, rather than wasting valuable resources on this dispute, should have devoted time to developing a business plan for this valuable community asset.
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Bathurst Airport needs a sound strategic approach to its future - lest we keep being overtaken by a more progressive approach as seen at Orange.
Great political foresight by our Bathurst forefathers gave us Ben Chifley Reservoir and the Great Race at Mount Panorama.
When will we see long-term vision again for Bathurst?
