Australian-founded, London-based investment and corporate advisory group Mayfair 101 has begun a dialog with Cassowary Coast Regional Council for potential airdrome upgrades.
Mayfair 101 has recently purchased Dunk Island and has shared plans to invest $1.6bn over 15 years to transform the region into Australia's tourist mecca.
Managing Director James Mawhinney said accessibility would be critical to the success of the group's investment, and current airport facilities were not up to scratch. "Obviously Cairns has an international airport and quite a good one, but that's two hours' drive from Mission Beach" said Mr. Mawhinney.
"With the plans we've got by way of increasing the amount of accommodation and activities the region it makes logical sense to look at increasing the infrastructure that goes into the region by way of aviation."
He said Mayfair 101 had begun a dialogue with the Cassowary Coast Regional Council as the owner of Mundoo Aerodrome 40 minutes north of Mission Beach and Dallachy Airfield, a similar distance to the south. "Discussions are very early at this stage but we're interested to see if it makes sense to upgrade the facilities at either of those airstrips." Mr. Mawhinney said.
"The mayor (John Kremastos) has a vision for an international airport at Innisfail and, yes it would be fantasic"
"The alternative is that we might end up sourcing some land of our own and creating our own Airport". "At the very least the runway at Innisfail would need to be extended in order for commercial airlines to operate out of Mundoo Aerodrome" Mr Mawhinney said.
"We need a greater runway length so we can land some proper planes in there" he said.
"The advantage of doing this is not only will it serve the tourism market but a lot of the producers in the region and some of the mining in the region, so there's lots of economic benefit."
Although a new international airport was "not on their radar in the short term", Mr. Mawhinney said the group expected to attract plenty of visitors from the Asian region as well as Europe to the new tourist precinct.