King StingrayThe Queensland outback town and coastal locality of Burketown is coming back to life in October, with the airport set to reopen and celebrate the reopening with a free community concert right on the tarmac.
Durack Civil and Burke Shire Council are presenting the event, named Runway Under the Stars.
King Stingray, Dream Thieves – with Durack’s own Operations Manager Jarryd Dewar behind the kit – and the DMC Boys will perform on the Burketown Airport runway on Saturday, 10 October, as part of the free community event.
The event is also supported by QCrush, Wirtgen, Austek, iOR, Cement Australia, Coates, Downer Group, ASCT, and the Carpentaria Land Council Aboriginal Corporation.
Before the planes take off from Burketown Airport, the local community will be treated to a one-night-only celebration, with an open-air stage on the tarmac, delicious food, and family fun all on offer.
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The airport reopens after devastating flooding in 2023, and to thank the community for their support, Durack Civil and the Burke Shire Council have put together the exciting event.
Runway Under the Stars will take place at the Burketown Airport runway from 3 pm on Saturday, 10 October. It’s free to attend, and camping is available – RSVP your attendance here.
In a statement, Durack Civil Director James Durack explained that the project to revive Burketown Airport became more than just another job.
“Our teams are in remote communities every week of the year, and you learn fast what an airport means to townships like Burketown,” Durack said.
“Burketown is home to friendly and giving Queenslanders who have come through the hardship of disaster with an incredible show of resilience - so this unforgettable night of music, food and fun is the least we could do to mark such a recovery milestone.
“We invite everyone to join us in celebrating not just a reopening, but a redevelopment that is designed to help Burketown withstand the test of Mother Nature long into the future.”
Burke Shire Council CEO Zac Revere added, “The airport is one of the most essential pieces of transport infrastructure in the shire. It really drives our economy, but it also does a whole lot more than that,” Revere said.
He continued, “The floods have impacted the psyche of our community. That’s why we’re so excited to give everyone the chance to come along and mark this milestone together.
“Our community can rest assured that they won’t be left in the lurch and we can head into the wet season with some security around the future.”
