Joint Study on aviation capacity in the Sydney region

The Australian and NSW Governments were presented with the report of the Joint Study on aviation capacity in the Sydney region on Friday 2 March 2012.

Overseen by an independent Steering Committee of government and industry experts, the Joint Study considered the short, medium and long-term aviation infrastructure and supporting surface transport requirements of the Sydney region, and identifies strategies and locations to meet future needs. It also considered options for the use of Commonwealth-owned land at Badgerys Creek.

The Study was established to inform future infrastructure planning and investment by government and industry, and enable the proper integration of future airport operations with surrounding state land use planning and surface transport networks.

On 15 April 2014, the Australian Government announced that Badgerys Creek will be the site for a new airport for Western Sydney.

Steering Committee Report

The Steering Committee's report is also available in individual parts:

  • Executive Summary PDF: 13320 KB
  • Part One–the Joint Study process PDF: 984 KB
  • Part Two–Sydney now and in the future PDF: 11087 KB
  • Part Three–Demand for aviation in the Sydney region PDF: 5106 KB
  • Part Four–Capacity of existing airports to cope with forecast demand PDF: 12158 KB
  • Part Five–Impacts if demand is not met PDF: 1111 KB
  • Part Six–Options to better utilise Sydney (Kingsford-Smith) Airport to gain capacity to meet forecast demand PDF: 4019 KB
  • Part Seven–Options to better utilise other existing infrastructure to gain capacity to meet forecast demand PDF: 4667 KB
  • Part Eight–Options to develop new infrastructure to gain capacity to meet forecast demand PDF: 2542 KB
  • Part Nine–Future use of the Commonwealth-owned Badgerys Creek site PDF: 2228 KB
  • Part Ten–Summary of findings and key points PDF: 888 KB
  • Part Eleven–Strategies for meeting Sydney's aviation infrastructure needs PDF: 1211 KB
  • Part Twelve–Appendices PDF: 3348 KB

Technical Papers prepared to inform the Joint Study are also available:

The index to the technical papers is in Appendix D.

Steering Committee

Members of the Steering Committee provided expertise and experience in infrastructure, transport, planning, aviation, economics, government, environment and tourism. The Steering Committee members included:

  • Mr Mike Mrdak, Secretary, Australian Government Department of Infrastructure and Transport (co-chair)
  • Mr Sam Haddad, Director-General, NSW Department of Planning and Infrastructure (co-chair)
  • Mr Les Wielinga, Director-General, Transport for NSW
  • The Hon Warwick Smith AM
  • Ms Jennifer Westacott
  • Dr Warren Mundy and
  • Mr Christopher Brown.

Terms of reference

The Terms of Reference PDF: 68 KB .

The Joint Study for the Aviation Strategic Plan was announced on 16 December 2009 by the former Minister for Infrastructure and Transport as part of the launch of the National Aviation Policy White Paper. Further details can be found in Chapter 12.