Headquarters Training Command (HQTC) is engaged in public discussions about the future options for RAAF Base Point Cook.

Four options to operate the site as an airfield have been proposed following Defence Parliamentary Secretary Dr Brendan Nelson's announcement last year that the base - which dates from 1913 and is regarded as the birthplace of the Air Force - would be divested from Commonwealth ownership and sold as an operational airfield in 2003. The RAAF Museum would be retained.

The proposals are:

• base case option (retain the airfield in its current configuration);
• minimisation option (actual reduction of air activities including length and number of runways);
• enhanced aviation training facility option, possibly with extra or redesigned runways layout, hangars etc; and
• corporate facility option which includes some training and possibly extended runways, hangars etc.

Other uses of the site have been suggested in tandem with the airport. They include a national aeronautical museum and historical precinct, educational institutions, eco-tourism, light industry, and retirement villages/residential development.

Several issues have been identified during the process to dispose of the site. These include:

• possible increases in air traffic movements (safety, noise and other pollution including at night);
• site remediation, including existing pollution and ground contamination remediation or minimisation/stabilisation;
• environmental and heritage aspects - Aboriginal and European, and the protection of flora and fauna;
• retention of heritage and social facilities;
• existing user/stakeholder needs and competition; and
• issues such as roads and traffic usage, property values, public access, including to the foreshores, and effects on and protection of neighbouring environment and greater area heritage sites.

A community meeting to discuss Point Cook's future attracted more than 120 people last month.

In April a Project Steering Committee was established to develop a Strategic Land Use and Disposal Plan to examine these options and issues and the firm Sinclair Knight Merz was contracted as the Planning Managers.

Three Public Working Groups have been formed - the Community Environment Heritage Group, Commercial Interest Group and Aviation Related Interest Group - to advise on the various aspects of the disposal and future uses of the site.

The Air Force and Defence Department is involved both through Defence Estate and Air Force specialist representatives provided by Training Command.

Their focus (apart from the Disposal aspects) concerns the significant heritage issues of the site, the continued retention of the Museum and the future availability of the site to Air Force Cadets.
HQTC has formed an HQTC User Group to address these aspects.