AIRPORT: Wallarah could fit the bill.
WYONG Shire's chances of becoming the site of Sydney's second international airport are firming, mayor Bob Graham said this week.
The optimism flows from a phone call from a senior official of the Federal Department of Infrastructure seeking more information about the Wallarah site.
Cr Graham pushed for the federal government to consider Wallarah as the second Sydney airport site when he visited Canberra with council's general manager Mike Whittaker on May 22.
Cr Graham presented three ministers - Anthony Albanese (Infrastructure and Transport), Simon Crean (Regional Development) and Martin Ferguson (Tourism) with a submission about Wyong Shire's development.
The mayor has come under fire from some residents because of his support for the airport.
But he maintains that the provision of jobs is a priority.
In increasing his push for the airport, Cr Graham said he would issue a special invitation to Mr Albanese to inspect Wallarah.
The 1670-hectare Wallarah site, north of Bruce Crescent at Warnervale, was named as one of the five technically best suited airport locations in a joint federal-state governments report.
Wallarah was identified as being suitable for a Type 1 full-service airport serving all market segments and capable of handing a future parallel runway layout.
Directly and indirectly the airport, if located at Wallarah, is expected to provide jobs for 100,000 people.
"The council delegation pressing for the airport at Wallarah was very well received in Canberra," Cr Graham said.
"A council submission outlining why Wallarah would be a good site for the airport was presented to Mr Albanese and it was pleasing to receive this follow-up response from Mr Albanese's office."
Asked by the Lakes Mail if Wallarah was now firming as a chance to become the site of the second major airport, Cr Graham said: "Very much so".