Melbourne Airport Runway Maintenance Works

Consultation has concluded

Melbourne Airport is undertaking works to replace approximately 2,500 metres of the asphalt section of the existing north-south runway (Runway 16/34). This is safety-critical, preventive maintenance work that is undertaken every decade or so to ensure the runway remains in a sound condition to support aircraft movements for the next 10-12 years. As part of the project, airfield ground lighting will also be replaced, and improvements will be made to some runway access roads.

What is changing and when?

To complete this maintenance work, it is necessary to temporarily close or shorten the existing north-south runway. These closures will take place five nights a week for between 6.5 and 8 hours for approximately from 3 November 2022 and the project is expected to be fully completed by April 2024. Depending on the work activities being undertaken, work will begin around 10.30pm and will be completed between 5am and 6.30am the next morning.

During these night-time closures, aircraft will use the east-west runway (Runway 09/27). There will be no change to the overall number of aircraft using the airport each day. However, between 50 and 70 flights that would normally use the north-south runway at night will instead use the east-west runway.

Where can I find more information?

Further information is available at Melbourne Airport

You can also download this information as a fact sheet.

For questions about this project, please email community@melair.com.au

Melbourne Airport is undertaking works to replace approximately 2,500 metres of the asphalt section of the existing north-south runway (Runway 16/34). This is safety-critical, preventive maintenance work that is undertaken every decade or so to ensure the runway remains in a sound condition to support aircraft movements for the next 10-12 years. As part of the project, airfield ground lighting will also be replaced, and improvements will be made to some runway access roads.

What is changing and when?

To complete this maintenance work, it is necessary to temporarily close or shorten the existing north-south runway. These closures will take place five nights a week for between 6.5 and 8 hours for approximately from 3 November 2022 and the project is expected to be fully completed by April 2024. Depending on the work activities being undertaken, work will begin around 10.30pm and will be completed between 5am and 6.30am the next morning.

During these night-time closures, aircraft will use the east-west runway (Runway 09/27). There will be no change to the overall number of aircraft using the airport each day. However, between 50 and 70 flights that would normally use the north-south runway at night will instead use the east-west runway.

Where can I find more information?

Further information is available at Melbourne Airport

You can also download this information as a fact sheet.

For questions about this project, please email community@melair.com.au

Consultation has concluded

  • Works update

    Works on Melbourne Airport’s north-south runway (Runway 16/34) are nearing completion with the final stage involving Airfield Ground Lighting upgrades to take place over the coming months.

    Originally scheduled to finish this year, all works requiring night-time runway closures will now be completed by March 2024. This is due to a delay in the government approvals process for part of the works.

    Temporary overnight closures of the north-south runway will remain in place five nights a week from 1:00am through to 6:00am. During these night-time closures all aircraft will use the east-west runway (Runway 09/27).

    Between now and March 2024 there will be approximately five closures of the area where the two runways intersect. Called a displaced threshold, the north-south runway will be temporarily shortened and the east-west runway will be closed. These closures will be for 1.5 hours only and will be timed when there are no aircraft operations.

    For questions about this project, please email community@melair.com.au.