There was an air of excitement enveloping Launceston Airport this morning as stakeholders gathered to witness the official opening of the new Virgin Australia Cargo. This facility will provide new opportunities to northern Tasmania’s food and beverage exporters, particularly for those needing to get time-sensitive goods from our UNESCO designated region to mainland markets.
Hon. Michael Ferguson MP, Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, highlighted the transformative impact of this cargo hub in a recent media release. The facility emerges as a key enabler, offering unprecedented opportunities for the region’s food and beverage exporters. Notably, it serves as a crucial conduit for transporting time-sensitive goods from our UNESCO-designated region to mainland markets, breathing new life into the prospects of local businesses.
The minister underscored the potential of the Cargo Hub to catapult northern Tasmania’s world-class seafood and agri-food producers onto both domestic and international stages. With these products contributing a staggering $910 million annually to the region’s economy in export earnings, the hub emerges as a cornerstone for economic growth and sustainability.
Leased to Virgin Australia and its partner Aus Flight Handling until 2033, the Cargo Hub signifies a decade-long commitment to fostering growth in the region and is a testament to the company’s unwavering confidence in the region’s potential. It symbolises a commitment to facilitating seamless trade and transportation for the next decade, elevating northern Tasmania as a key player in the global export landscape. This state-of-the-art facility takes flight, it carries with it the aspirations and potential of an entire region, unlocking doors to new markets and ensuring that the world can savour the bounty of our UNESCO-designated lands for years to come.