{
  "id": 14817742,
  "title": "Mayor says flood-prone airstrip may need to move despite $27m upgrade",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/15/mayor-says-flood-prone-airstrip-may-need-to-move-despite-27m-upgrade",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-15T23:31:17.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "ABC News AU",
    "slug": "abc-news-au",
    "url": "https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-16/burketown-airstrip-floods-upgrade-government-funding/107265290"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In February 2023, a catastrophic flood swept through the Gulf of Carpentaria, causing extensive damage to infrastructure in Burketown. The community, located 420 kilometers north of Mount Isa, had been without a functional airstrip following that devastating event. The Queensland and federal governments invested $27 million in works to repair and enhance the community's airstrip, which was expected to resume commercial flights in mid-November after raising the airstrip by 400 millimeters. Burke Shire Mayor Ernie Camp expressed concerns about the airstrip's location, advocating for its relocation to a more flood-resistant area despite the upgrade. While the improved airstrip was a welcome relief for the community, providing a lifeline for public transport and larger aircraft, Mayor Camp warned that another weather event like 2023 could render the current airstrip unsafe. The Western Queensland Alliance of Councils (WQAC) Executive Director, Greg Hoffman, stressed the importance of building resilience in assets to withstand future weather events. He argued that investing in the airstrip's resilience was crucial, particularly in flood-prone areas like Burketown and Gulf communities. However, the future location of the airstrip remains a subject of discussion, with the Queensland Emergency Management Minister and the Federal Minister for Emergency Management stating that decisions on the airstrip's relocation are for local councils to make. Despite ongoing advocacy for long-term plans to address potential adverse impacts, it may take a significant disaster to demonstrate the effectiveness of the current measures in ensuring the airstrip's flood-proof status.",
  "summary": "A Gulf of Carpentaria Mayor is calling for a newly repaired airstrip to be relocated to avoid future disasters.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}