Townsville Airport Masterplan 2023 Economic Assessment
Client : Queensland Airports Limited (QAL)
Regional Economic Advisory recently delivered the Economic Assessment informing and contributing to the Townsville Airport Masterplan 2023 which was released for public comment and community consultation in April 2023.
REA was able to provide:
- Detailed advice on the financial and economic drivers within the various airport precincts.
- Land use uptake benchmarking across residential, retail, commercial and industrial uses.
- Economic impact modelling based on projected travel growth and investment within the airport precincts.
- Stakeholder engagement including one-on-one interviews with key airport tenants and users.
The Townsville Airport Masterplan 2023 guides development of the Airport over a 20-year planning period, with an initial 8-year detailed planning period between 2023-2031.
Rookwood Weir Landholder Engagement Program
Client : Advance Rockhampton
REA was recently engaged as lead project manager for the Rookwood Weir Landholder Engagement Program in Central Queensland. The scope of work included significant on the ground engagement with key landholders and traditional owner groups.
- Engagement with landholders involved discussions around aspirations for irrigation, capacity and skills to undertake irrigated production, and land, market and infrastructure barriers to irrigated production.
- Engagement with the broader industry stakeholders involved discussions around capacity of the Central Queensland region to support the development of an irrigated agricultural industry, and meetings and workshops to communicate the economic development potential of irrigated agriculture for the region due to the establishment of Rookwood Weir.
Outcomes of the engagement were used to identify viable irrigation options and develop financial and economic models to support the development of Farm Enterprise Reports and detailed Business Plans for each landholder.
Mission Beach Town Centre Revitalisation Program Economic Analysis
Client : Cassowary Coast Regional Council
REA provided an economic impact assessment and cost benefit modelling to support the Mission Beach Town Centre Revitalisation Project.
The project will deliver initiatives to activate the Town Centre and drive the recovery of visitation to this iconic Far North Queensland destination post the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kingfisher Bay Ferry Terminal Upgrade Economic Analysis
Client : SeaLink
This project involved preparation of a Round 5 Building Better Regions Fund economic analysis and funding application to upgrade Kingfisher Bay Jetty on the iconic Queensland tourism destination of Fraser Island.
The analysis quantified the visitation, safety and community benefits associated with the upgrade, including supporting the recovery in visitation post the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic impacts during construction and once operational.
United Cairns Service Station Needs Assessment
Client: United Petroleum / Kelly Reaston Development & Property Services
Needs analysis to support a new service station and fast food outlet development in Cairns. The analysis included a review of existing providers servicing the catchment, consideration of current and future expenditure potential, and the impact of the additional supply over the immediate and medium-longer term.
Yarrabah Micro Grid Feasibility Study
Client: Yarrabah Aboriginal Shire Council (Ener-G Management Group Lead Consultant)
Provided economic impact and cost benefit analysis for a range of renewable and micro-grid energy solutions for the Yarrabah community considering employment, household and commercial energy savings, and broader economic development impacts.
The findings of the analysis are being used to support additional funding applications to further this key community project.
Australian Singapore Military Training Initiative Economic Impact Assessment
Client : Department of Defence | KPMG
REA was engaged to provide specialised regional insight to support an Economic Impact Assessment of the Australian Singapore Military Training Initiative in Greenvale.
Works included engagement with regional and industry stakeholders and assessment of local capacity in Northern and Central Queensland to support the $2.25 billion defence development. The initiative will see up to 14,000 Singaporean troops utilise Australian-based military training facilities each year.
North Cairns Industrial Needs Assessment
Client : Kelly Reaston Development and Property Services
REA provided a needs analysis to support a new industrial development located in North Cairns. The analysis included a review of existing and potential supply, development of a series of future demand projections and estimation of economic impacts during construction and once operational.
Townsville and North West Queensland Economic Growth and Recovery Strategy
Regional Development Australia (RDA) Townsville and North West Queensland
The Townsville and North West Queensland region has some of the strongest economic development potential in Australia. However, the region has endured a range of economic challenges and setbacks over recent years which have been compounded by the current COVID-19 pandemic. The region requires a strategy for major infrastructure, policy setting and private sector investments for economic recovery in the short term, while continuing to work towards unlocking its long-term potential.
This strategy defines the path to economic recovery and growth through five key regional priorities developed through an objective prioritisation framework and refined in consultation with key regional stakeholders and individual project proponents.
Estimates of potential economic impacts unlocked through construction, operations, and catalytic development potential were developed for each of the priority areas. The strategy will be used by RDA Townsville and North West Queensland to help facilitate and advocate for sustainable economic development.
Three Big Rivers Training Hub Pre-Feasibility Study
Client : Three Big Rivers Ltd
The Three Big Rivers Training Hub will provide a broad range of skills and industry training opportunities for indigenous youth across North Queensland. The hub will be led by a local Indigenous organisation with a community-led focus.
The pre-feasibility study considers the financial viability of the training hub project, the economic impacts during development and once operational, and the socio-economic benefits it will provide to through direct economic activity and supporting improved training and employment outcomes for local Indigenous youth.
Billabong Sanctuary Expansion Economic Analysis
Client : Wildlife Enterprises Pty Ltd
The Billabong Sanctuary is an iconic 11-hectare wildlife sanctuary and tourist attraction located in North Queensland.
For more than 30 years, Billabong Sanctuary has been delivering hands on wildlife encounters to visitors from across the globe. Billabong Sanctuary has become one of the region’s most recognised visitor attractions, providing people of all ages an educational and inspiring insight into Australian wildlife.
This economic analysis considered the expansion of Billabong Sanctuary to include two new exhibits, a crocodile boardwalk and an enclosure for the Lumholtz’s tree-kangaroo. The analysis included an economic impact assessment of construction activity and additional tourist visitation as well as a cost benefit assessment of the expansion project to the North Queensland community.
Pioneer Community Centre Economic Analysis
Client : Good Sheppard Parish Mount Isa & PVW Partners
The Pioneer Community Centre (PCC) will be a not-for-profit community centre that facilitates the co-location and collaboration of vital social, sporting, and community services for the Pioneer and Sunset localities of Mount Isa.
The aim of the facility is to improve the socio-economic outcomes of those living within this community – including health, housing, crime, youth justice management, family support and related areas.
The economic analysis considers the economic impacts the PCC will provide to the Mount Isa community through development and ongoing once operational, and the net socio-economic benefits the facility will provide through operations, improved health care and community amenity.
