YouTube: Avalon Airport Spotter’s view of what to expect in the skies above Avalon from March 1 – 3, 2019
The city of Ipswich will again be well represented at Avalon 2019, a global air show and business event held every two years in Victoria
It attracts the high flyers of civil aviation, air transport, defence industry, military and government decision makers.
The defence industry is now front and centre of the Ipswich economy and a significant employment sector in the region.
Ipswich City Council’s commitment and strong support for attracting defence industries to the city is backed by the City of Ipswich Defence Industry Attraction Committee (CIDIAC) chaired by Chief Executive Officer David Farmer.
Defence and defence related industries importance to the future growth of Ipswich was highlighted at the recent Defence Queensland Summit held in 2018.
Council’s Chief Operating Officer for economic development Ben Pole said the role of council’s Office of Economic Development was to co-ordinate a City of Ipswich Business Mission to take part in the expo at the air show.
“This includes a delegation of businesses and chambers of commerce registered to attend Avalon 2019,” he said.
“The group from Ipswich is officially registered as a delegation at this prestigious event.
“The mission has a clearly defined goal of promoting the Defence Ipswich brand by profiling the city as a growing defence region in Queensland.
“Avalon is a world-class air show and expo held over one week which bring together established business networks, global manufacturers and governments from many nations.”
Delegation leader and council’s Economic Development Manager Paul Massingham said meetings were planned with delegates from the USA, UK, Avalon organisers and other defence related businesses.
“Council will facilitate introductions and further investigate business attraction and open up opportunities for local Ipswich business to access the global defence supply chain.”
Ipswich Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Phillip Bell said the flow-on effect through increased employment opportunities would benefit the wider community as the city’s population continued to grow.
“Strong partnerships underpin the success we are enjoying as a city,” he said.
Great Springfield Chamber of Commerce president Neil Coupland said by highlighting what Ipswich had to offer we can work collaboratively with all defence partners to secure new business and industry to the region.
RAAF Base Amberley fast facts
Amberley is the largest air force base in Australia and employs more than 5,000 people
These units call Amberley home:
Combat Support Group, Headquarters
No 95 Wing, Headquarters
No 382 Squadron – Contingency Response
No 295 Squadron – Training and Standards
No 1 Combat Communication Squadron, Headquarters
No 2 Security Forces Squadron, Headquarters
No 1 Combat Communication Squadron Flight Amberley
No 96 Wing, Headquarters
No 23 (City of Brisbane) Squadron – airbase operations
Health Services Wing, Headquarters
No 1 Expeditionary Health Squadron, Headquarters
No 3 Aero-medical Evacuation Squadron Detachment Amberley
Health Operational Conversion Unit
“I applaud council’s commitment to raise awareness of the opportunities for locals to do business and provide services for the defence sector,” he said.
At Avalon 2017 attendance included 664 companies from 25 countries, 158 delegations, 33,000 accredited trade attendees, with a total event attendance of more than 210,000.
The Australian International Aerospace and Defence Exposition (Avalon 2019) will be held from 26 February to 3 March at Avalon International Airport and is supported by the Government of Victoria, AirServices Australia and the Australian Defence Force, in particular the Royal Australian Air Force, Defence Science & Technology and the Department of Defence’s Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group (CASG).