Warnervale Airport plans expansion to boost regional growth and aviation training, pending key commitments.

The Central Coast Council has released a masterplan to expand Warnervale Airport, aiming to boost regional growth and help address Australia’s aviation skills shortage by partnering with the University of Newcastle and TAFE for training. The plan hinges on unconfirmed commitments from emergency services and the university. The 2021 repeal of the Warnervale Airport Restrictions Act removed a prior cap of 88 flights per day, and the upcoming 2026 opening of Western Sydney Airport may shift flight patterns, benefiting the Central Coast’s uncontrolled airspace. While a 2022 federal pledge of $10 million for runway upgrades was not renewed by the Labor government, a prior business case projected a $979,000 profit by 2032 if state and council co-funded upgrades. Central Coast Minister David Harris supports the project’s potential for jobs and economic development.