Up, up and Away, Melbourne’s Third Runway to Take Off

This picture taken on February 22, 2021 shows Qantas planes lined up at Melbourne's international airport. - Australian carrier Qantas on February 25, 2021 reported a 5.5 billion USD plunge in revenue during the second half of 2020 and said international passenger flights would not resume until October as the pandemic continued to devastate the industry. (Photo by Saeed KHAN / AFP) Photo by SAEED KHAN/AFP via Getty Images

A third runway at Melbourne Airport has been given the long-awaited green light but the timeline for the site’s rail connection remains unclear.

The federal government announced the $3 billion (US$2 billion) project’s confirmation on Sep. 13, with conditions to share and minimise the effects of aircraft noise on surrounding communities.