Sep-Oct 2016 Issue | Business View Oceania

228 Business View Oceania - September/October 2016 and fuel their reserves before heading elsewhere. The culmination of the airport redevelopment has been the construction of the new terminal building completed in June 2016. Another project that will significantly contribute to the economy of Tambo is the Tambo Sawmill. The Council purchased the sawmill in July 2014 after the former owner liquidated his assets. Though the mill was originally purchased to secure access to the Council-owned weighbridge located in the precinct, their focus soon turned elsewhere. After securing a sales permit toprovide a supply of cypress sawlog, the Council invited expressions of interested from experienced operators who wished to lease and operate it. Since then, the Council has secured both federal and state funding to upgrade and re-commission the mill. Overall, it is projected that the sawmill will provide 13 jobs in the local community of 380 individuals. Andrew Martin, the Mayor of the Blackall-Tambo Regional Council, commented positively on this operation and is hopeful for the future: “The proposed Tambo sawmill re- opening has the potential to provide directly to the town of Tambo approx. $1m/year and to the region, on current projections up to $100m dollars over the 25-year life of the permit. Even more than that could be bought to Mayor Andrew Martin The Mayor is a fourth gen. grazier and merino wool grower in the BT region, who has had extensive public company directorial experi- ence in the resources sec- tor, nationally and interna- tionally. Previous to that Andrew Martin had a 16 year stint in the agri-political arena, culminating in an ex- ecutive position on the Na- tional Farmers Federation during the turbulent Mabo and wool floor price years.