Tumut Aerodrome Fire Protection Projects

Background

In 2024, the NSW Government announced a $12.9M forestry funding package to protect critical timber supplies in the Murray region through fire prevention, detection, and response works developed in consultation with industry and government. The package will be delivered as a pilot program, with the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development to monitor and evaluate its potential for wider rollout.

Council secured funding for three projects under this program.

1. Tumut Aerodrome Hangar

The project will deliver a purpose-built hangar at Tumut Aerodrome, to securely house emergency response helicopters such as the Bell 412. This will enable faster, more advanced fire detection and response across the South West Slopes plantation region, improving local fire intelligence, ground response and resource coordination, with specialised aerial fire-fighting capability based in Tumut.

Project Budget

$3,850,000

Project Status

The contract for construction of the Tumut Aerodrome Hangar was awarded to Lipman Pty Ltd at the December 2025 Council meeting.

Construction is now underway, with significant progress made on site. The concrete slab and driveway connecting the apron have been poured, roadworks are well advanced, and site drainage is complete. Structural steel has been delivered to site, with erection of the hangar structure to commence shortly.  

2. Tumut Aerodrome Raw Water Supply

The Tumut Aerodrome Water Supply project will deliver a permanent bulk water supply, storage and pumping system to support aerial and ground firefighting operations. Currently, water must be trucked in, tying up vital resources that could be used on the fire ground.

Key components include a 1.5km water main, pumping station, water management system and minimum 100,000-litre storage tanks.

This project will provide a reliable, on-demand water source at the Tumut Aerodrome, improve aircraft turnaround times and free up mobile tankers for ground suppression.

Project Budget

$1,870,000

Project Status

Works are now underway and have so far included:

  • Trenching has been completed
  • Pipe has been laid to the hangar site
  • Bulk earthworks for the tank have been completed
  • The concrete slab for the tank has been completed

 

3. Specialist Tractor and Mulcher for Fire Management

Council has purchased a specialist tractor and slasher/mulcher to improve roadside vegetation management, particularly on slopes and batters along key road corridors. Currently, Council lacks suitable equipment, limiting effective control and increasing reliance on less effective or riskier methods. This investment will support safer, more efficient maintenance, especially in post-bushfire regrowth areas that serve as critical fire breaks.

Project Budget

$387,106

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