Western Sydney Airport opens for scheduled passenger services on 25 October 2026. This series looks at 25 milestones on the road to its opening, with a new milestone added each day.
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Milestone 1: Abbott Government announces decision to proceed to build a new airport for Western Sydney at Badgerys Creek
The first milestone came in April 2014 when the Liberal National Government of Tony Abbott took a decision that previous governments had put off for more than thirty years: to proceed to build a new airport for Western Sydney at Badgerys Creek. The decision was announced in a media release by Prime Minister Abbott on 15 April 2014.
Milestone 2: Issue of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Airport Plan
The second milestone was in October 2015: the Turnbull Government released the draft Environmental Impact Statement and draft Airport Plan for Western Sydney Airport for public comment. The draft EIS ran to some 5,000 pages; it would attract several thousand submissions. This was all part of the detailed legal and planning work necessary before construction of the airport could start.
Milestone 3: Final EIS issued, with a 'no single merge point' commitment on flight paths
The third milestone, in September 2016, was the issue of the final Environmental Impact Statement for Western Sydney Airport. This followed extensive community consultation in response to the draft EIS. There was a strong reaction to the indicative flight paths set out in that document, particularly the proposal for a ‘single merge point’ over the community of Blaxland. In response, the final EIS contained extensive commitments about the flight paths, including a commitment that there would not be a single merge point for flight paths over any residential community.
Milestone 4: Learning lessons from other airports
The fourth milestone also came in September 2016.
To learn lessons from other airports, I joined Australian government officials on a visit to several leading airports including Singapore Changi, Incheon in Korea, London Heathrow, London Gatwick, and Amsterdam Schiphol. At Schipol the CEO showed us the glass floor in the terminal which lets travellers look down on the underground baggage system. Ten years on, Western Sydney Airport has Australia's first fully digitally automated baggage handling system.
Milestone 5: Airport Plan determined: legal authority to build at Badgerys Creek
The fifth milestone: On 12 December 2016, I joined Prime Minister Turnbull to announce the determination of the Airport Plan – the formal legal instrument under the Airports Act which authorises the construction and operation of an airport at Badgerys Creek.
The Airport Plan set out the key features of the design: a 3,700 metre runway able to handle the largest passenger aircraft, a terminal with capacity for ten million passengers a year, and capacity to grow to over 80 million passengers by the 2060s, with a second runway to be built by then.
Milestone 6: Notice of Intention issued to owners of Kingsford Smith Airport
The sixth milestone: On 20 December 2016, I announced that the Government had issued its formal Notice of Intention to Sydney Airport Group (owners of Kingsford Smith Airport.) This was critical because Sydney Airport Group had a ‘right of first refusal’ to build Western Sydney Airport. The Notice of Intention, some 1,000 pages long, set out the contractual terms on which Sydney Airport Group could build and operate Western Sydney Airport. This then started the clock ticking: Sydney Airport Group had until May 2017 to say whether it would take up its right, or whether it would decline to do so. If it declined, the government had to be ready with a plan to deliver Western Sydney Airport without the involvement of Sydney Airport Group.
Milestone 7: The Government announces it will build Western Sydney Airport
Milestone number 7: On 2 May 2017 Sydney Airport Group, a publicly listed company, announced to the ASX that it would not be taking up its right to build the new airport. The Turnbull Government had carefully prepared for this moment and we were ready to move. Within hours we announced that the government would build and own Western Sydney Airport itself.
Milestone 8: $5.3 billion funding for Western Sydney Airport in the 2017 Budget (Morrison as Treasurer)
The eighth milestone was the 2017 Budget. A week after announcing that the Turnbull Government would build Western Sydney Airport itself, Treasurer Scott Morrison committed up to $5.3 billion in equity to a new government-owned company to build and operate it.
The Budget papers set out the timetable: construction would start with earthmoving works by late 2018, and when it opened the airport would have capacity for 10 million passengers a year and a 3.7 km runway. Having the funding locked in from the start delivered much needed certainty for the project.
Milestone 9: First Meeting of Forum on Western Sydney Airport
Milestone number nine was the first meeting of the Forum on Western Sydney Airport (FOWSA), held in Penrith on 26 May 2017.
It was important to have a formal mechanism for consultation with stakeholders and the broader community. FOWSA was chaired by Professor Peter Shergold AC, Chancellor of Western Sydney University, and brought together 23 members representing local communities, state and local government, business and the airline industry. It would be an important channel to capture public feedback on issues like airspace and flight paths.
Milestone 10: More than 500 attend the WSA Industry Forum
The tenth milestone came in June 2017, when more than 500 people came to the Western Sydney Airport Industry Forum at Penrith Panthers.
With the Government now taking on the role of building the airport, we wanted to publicise the opportunities for contractors and suppliers. The turnout showed that businesses – including plenty of local Western Sydney businesses – were keen to be part of it.
Milestone 11: WSA Co established and board of directors appointed (Cormann, Fletcher)
Western Sydney Airport opens this month. It was a long road to get here: this series of posts looks back at 25 milestones on that road.
The eleventh milestone was establishing the government owned company that would build the airport. WSA Co was incorporated on 7 August 2017 with former Optus chief executive Paul O'Sullivan as chair.
By November, we had appointed a board of seven directors with deep experience in aviation, infrastructure, engineering and finance – and strong links to Western Sydney. The board's first priorities were to recruit a chief executive and start the procurement needed to get construction under way.
Milestone 12: Western Sydney City Deal signed by the Australian and NSW Governments and eight councils (Turnbull, Berejiklian)
With Western Sydney Airport to open this month, this series of posts looks back on 25 milestones along the road to the opening.
The twelfth milestone was the signing of the Western Sydney City Deal on 4 March 2018, by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Premier Gladys Berejiklian and eight local councils.
With the airport as its centrepiece, the City Deal brought together 38 commitments across all three levels of government. The biggest single commitment in the City Deal was over ten billion dollars, jointly funded by the Commonwealth and NSW Governments, for a metro rail line connecting Western Sydney Airport and the aerotropolis (Bradfield) to St Marys on the main T1 Western Line.
Milestone 13: Rail scoping study released, recommending a north-south link (Australia and NSW Governments)
The thirteenth milestone was the release in March 2018 of the Western Sydney Rail Needs Scoping Study – a detailed policy investigation commissioned by the Australian and NSW Governments. The study found that the highest priority was a north-south rail link through Western Sydney, connecting via Western Sydney Airport. That work led directly to the Sydney Metro – Western Sydney Airport line, which will run from St Marys through the airport to Bradfield.
Milestone 14: Aerotropolis Investor Forum showcases investment oportunities around WSA
The fourteenth milestone was the Aerotropolis Investor Forum in May 2018, where Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Premier Gladys Berejiklian and other Commonwealth and NSW Ministers and officials made the case to investors about the business and jobs opportunities around the new airport.
Western Sydney Airport was envisaged as the catalyst for a new economic centre, attracting businesses and jobs and forming the core of the new Western Parkland City. The vision was to bring high-value jobs closer to where people in Western Sydney live. Attracting private sector investment is a crucial part of that vision.
Milestone 15: Three major contracts awarded, allowing earthworks to begin incl. $80m early earthworks package andBechtel as delivery partner
Western Sydney Airport opens in ten days on 25 October this year. Milestone 15 was on 30 June 2018, when WSA Co awarded three major contracts – including an $80 million early earthworks package to a CPB Contractors and Lendlease joint venture, and Bechtel as delivery partner.
Speaking on the airport site that morning, I said we were rolling down the runway towards take-off: the contracts meant hundreds of jobs, and bulldozers on site before the end of the year.
Milestone 16: Qantas and Jetstar announce they will operate from Western Sydney Airport
The sixteenth milestone came in August 2018, when Qantas and Jetstar announced they would operate from Western Sydney Airport. That followed confirmation the month before from Virgin Australia that it intended to fly from the new airport.
With both major domestic airline groups committed, it was a clear sign that Australia’s aviation industry was now taking Western Sydney Airport very seriously indeed. It was a big change from the sceptical response to our first few announcements that a new airport was coming.
Milestone 17: Terminal design unveiled for Western Sydney Airport
With Western Sydney Airport set to open on 25 October, this series of posts looks back at 25 milestones along the road.
Milestone 17 was the unveiling of the terminal design in November 2019, following an international architectural competition. The designers said they hoped it would become a place people would want to visit even if they didn't have a flight to catch. As Minister I repeatedly said that the terminal would be a major public building for Western Sydney and we wanted it to reflect the confidence and aspirations of this dynamic community.
Milestone 18: Earthworks reach halfway – 13 million cubic metres moved, using 260 earthmoving units
Western Sydney Airport opens on the 25th of this month and this series looks back at 25 milestones on the road to Sydney’s new airport opening.
Western Sydney Airport required one of the biggest earthmoving tasks in Australian history, using 260 pieces of earthmoving equipment. The eighteenth milestone came in March 2021, when we reached the halfway point in the earthworks, with 13 million cubic metres of soil moved.
Milestone 19: Planning approval for M12 Motorway to proceed
Western Sydney Airport will open in six days. This series looks back at 25 milestones along that road.
Milestone 19 was securing planning approval for the M12 Motorway on 29 April 2021. This followed design changes, announced earlier in 2021 in response to community feedback, to give local communities better connections too.
The M12 is the airport's main road link, connecting it to the M7 and Sydney's motorway network.It was part of the plan from the very outset, announced by Prime Minister Abbott in April 2014 as part of the Western Sydney Infrastructure Plan.
Milestone 20: Terminal construction contract awarded to Multiplex; final terminal design released
This series looks at 25 milestones on the road to Western Sydney Airport's opening in five days, on 25 October this year.
The twentieth milestone came in June 2021, when I announced that the contract to build the terminal had been awarded to Multiplex, and we released the final design.
The terminal is designed to handle up to 10 million passengers a year. Under the airport plan, there is provision for multiple extension stages as the airport grows its passenger numbers over many decades to come.
Milestone 21: Berejiklian Government commits over $1 billion for Bradfield City Centre
Ahead of this month’s opening of Western Sydney Airport, this series of posts looks back at 25 milestones along what has been a long road to get to this point.
The twenty-first milestone came in June 2021, when the Berejiklian Government committed more than $1 billion to build Bradfield City Centre, the new city being built beside the airport. This city centre will be less than five minutes by metro (one stop) from the airport. It is being built on a 117 hectare parcel of land, previously owned by the Commonwealth Defence Department, which the Commonwealth transferred to the NSW Government.
The plan was not just to build a new airport, but to establish a new centre of jobs and investment for Western Sydney, creating thousands of jobs. The new city of Bradfield will play a critical role in this.
Milestone 22:
This series of posts looks back at 25 milestones on the road to Western Sydney Airport's opening in three days on 25 October this year.
The twenty-second milestone was the start of construction of the terminal on 19 November 2021. Multiple dignitaries assembled to mark this milestone including Prime Minister Scott Morrison and NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet.
The terminal includes highly advanced technology to give passengers a smooth, streamlined experience. This includes Australia's first fully digitally automated baggage handling system.
