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| Mildura Airport is Victoria’s largest and busiest regional airport, servicing over 170,000 airline passengers per annum from around 6,800 regular passenger transport aircraft movements. There are a further 6,200 general aviation aircraft movements which include a regular air freight service, charter, flight training, air ambulance, and refuelling and stopover visits by military aircraft.
The Mildura Region has a long tradition of air travel which has over time come to be considered as integral to the regional culture. The notional 6 hour travelling time for driving to and from Melbourne provides a strong incentive for air travel, when compared to a comfortable flight time of 1 hour 20 minutes. The distance from Mildura to Melbourne precludes down-and-back-in-a-day car travel for most travellers. Access to regular and reliable air travel is especially important for those whose time is valuable or for whom the long car trip is difficult due to ill health.
Adelaide, at a little over 4 hours by car, is close enough for many people to consider travel by car a viable alternative. However the convenience of a flight of less than one hour is certainly an important factor for business travellers and those travelling for medical treatment.
Direct same day return travel from Mildura to Sydney is now also a realistic option. With a travel time of a little over 2 hours, it is now possible to reach Sydney by 9.00 am. This service is particularly important for those agencies based in the New South Wales part of the catchment
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| region or delivering services into the Wentworth and Balranald Shires for which the main administrative centre is Sydney. A 1,000 km drive is not an option for these organisations, while organising connecting flights to Sydney via Melbourne can be inconvenient and time consuming.
Mildura is a major regional centre on the Murray River in north-west Victoria, on the border of New South Wales. Mildura is located 550 km north-west of Melbourne; 400 km north-east of Adelaide; and, 1080 km west of Sydney.
Mildura is the major service centre for Mildura Rural City Council (22,330 square kilometres) and the Wentworth Shire in New South Wales (26,169 square km) which have a combined population of almost 60,000. Despite the size of these municipalities, the majority of the population resides within a 20 km radius of the Mildura CBD in an area that is used extensively for irrigated horticulture.
The balance of the land in the two municipalities is comprised mainly of broad acre agricultural and pastoral properties, national parks and outlying large scale horticultural developments.
With its riverside position, attractive climate and location at the edge of the Outback, Mildura is a popular tourist destination. This reputation is enhanced by an active arts community staging a wide range of festivals and events throughout the year and growing significance as a food and wine destination.
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