Runway and Taxiway Maintenance Works

Future Airfield Projects (EPBC 2024/09907) 

Melbourne Airport is proposing a series of maintenance and upgrade projects on the airfield over the next 5-10 years. This includes: 

• Airfield Renaming - Current taxiway naming system will run out of single-letter identifiers. Renaming required before third runway opens for clear identification. 
• Melbourne Airport Pavement Maintenance Project (MAPMP 3.0) - Long-term maintenance for aging airfield pavement (drainage, pavement, apron replacement). New construction hardstands needed north of airfield for reduced travel for construction vehicles, site amenities, offices, staff parking, material and plant storage. 
• Runway 09/27 Overlay – Upgrades to airfield ground lighting to meet updated standards 
• Hotel Apron South – increased parking standards for growing demands from post-COVID recovery.  
• Staff Car Park Extension – staff carpark expansion for meet with demand of a growing workforce to increase airport capacity.  

The activity is deemed a controlled action under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 due to impacts on Natural Temperate Grassland of the Victorian Volcanic Plain, which is a threatened ecological community. 

Melbourne Airport sent out an invitation for public comments on the documentation that will be used to assess the proposed action under the EPBC Act. The public comment period is now closed.

Melbourne Airport received one comment on the proposed action. The documentation has been updated in response to the public comment and is now available below for information purposes only. 

• Notice For Public Information Purposes Only – Future Airfield Projects (EPBC 2024/09907)
• Summary of Public Comments
  
  
  EPBC Referral
• EPBC Referral Supporting Documentation
• EPBC Referral Online Application
  
  Preliminary documentation
• Melbourne Airport – Future Airfields Projects: Preliminary Documentation for Assessment under the EPBC Act (EPBC 2024/09907)
  
  Ecology Reports
• Melbourne Airport Taxiway Zulu and Northern Compound: Biodiversity Assessment
• Melbourne Airport Golden Sun Moth habitat survey
• Melbourne Airport's Third Runway Project Ecology Technical Report
• Assessments of native grasslands within airfields of Melbourne Airport
  
  Soil Contamination Reports
• Design Package 3 - Taxiway A Structural Rehabilitation Design Targeted Environmental Site Assessment Report
• Melbourne Airport Assessment of Organochlorine Pesticides in Airside Surface Soils
• Limited Contamination Investigation - Alpha Apron North and Hotel Apron South
• Northern Access Route and Taxiway Zulu Per – and Polyfluorinated Alkyl Substances Investigation

Melbourne Airport Pavement Maintenance Program 2 (EPBC 2023/09527)

Melbourne Airport is proposing works on Taxiway Alpha, between Taxiways Juliet and Kilo. The project will involve demolishing existing taxiway and services infrastructure, regrading the taxiway and shoulder areas, installing electrical, communications and stormwater services (including connection with existing services) and reconstructing the taxiway (including shoulders).

The activity is deemed a controlled action under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 due to impacts on Natural Temperate Grassland of the Victorian Volcanic Plain, which is a threatened ecological community.

These documentations are now available for public information. 

• Notice For Publication – Melbourne Pavement Maintenance Program 2, Melbourne Airport, Tullamarine, Victoria (EPBC 2023/09257)
• Melbourne Airport Pavement Maintenance Program 2: Preliminary Documentation for Assessment under the EPBC Act (EPBC 2023/09257)
• Melbourne Airport Development Projects, Offset Management Plan for Natural Temperate Grassland of the Victorian Volcanic Plain, Draft Plan (redacted version)

North-south Runway 16/34 Maintenance

Runway 16/34 is scheduled to be closed for safety critical maintenance works on several dates in mid-September 2026 during night-times.

The works on rapid exit taxiways Foxtrot and Golf and associated taxiways include but are not limited to the removal of the existing asphalt and replacement with a new basecourse and wearing course, lights, line markings and drainage installation.

Simultaneously to the taxiway works, separate teams will remove rubber buildup in the touchdown zones of the runway.

Closures of the north-south runway 16/34 are scheduled on the following dates:

• 11 September 23:00 to 12 September 05:30
• 12 September 23:00 to 13 September 05:30
• 13 September 23:00 to 14 September 05:30

During these closures, runway 16/34 will not be available for aircraft movements. The alternate east-west runway 09/27 will remain available, so that all incoming and departing air traffic will be using this runway.

Noise and flight paths:

• Aircraft landing and taking off during the works windows will utilise existing flight paths for runway 09/27.
• Communities north and south will experience no flight activity.
• Communities west and north will experience additional flight activity.
• This will be temporary and only on the nights when the north-south runway is closed.
• Any noise complaints can be directed to Airservices' Noise Complaints and Information Service (NCIS) at 1800 802 584 or online at https://www.airservicesaustralia.com/community/environment/aircraft-noise/about-making-a-complaint. 

Taxiway Zulu works

The Taxiway Zulu project is part of taxiway development works that includes the construction of a new taxiway, realignment of an existing taxiway and extension of a third taxiway. These works began in March 2019 but were suspended in October 2020 due to the impacts of COVID. They are now due to be completed in 2026.

The works are part of the overall future development of the Melbourne Airport terminal precinct and in particular, the expansion of Terminal 2.