Dubbo Regional Council (DRC) and Fly Pelican are pleased to announce the return of the popular Dubbo to Ballina return service starting from 6 September 2022!
Mayor of Dubbo Regional Council, Mathew Dickerson said it’s great to see planes in the air again. “We know that the aviation industry took a big hit during the pandemic and it’s wonderful to see this service which provides a key tourism link between the beach and the bush,” said Mr Dickerson.
The Ballina to Dubbo by Fly Pelican route was previously in service from August 2020 until April 2022. During that time 5000 passengers used the service.
Fly Pelican’s CEO Marty Hawley said the Dubbo to Ballina return route is great for work, rest or play. “Our partnership with Dubbo Regional Airport is strong, open and honest and it’s great to be able to bring the Dubbo – Ballina – Dubbo Service back into the market. More importantly, we need to get the message out there. Whether you are looking for a weekend getaway or are coming for work, we have built affordable flights with the right schedule. Starting slowly with 2 return flights per week – if demand is there we will look to add more services,” said Mr Hawley.
“Fly pelican is a 100% Australian owned and operated regional airline, we look forward to a continued strong partnership with Dubbo Regional Council and the local community,” he said.
The available flights have been strategically planned to promote a long weekend stay in either region. Flights will depart Thursday morning and return on a Sunday, allowing for long weekend getaways or a short business week.
DRC’s Manager of Economic Development and Marketing, Josie Howard said the return of this service was positive for the region’s visitor economy, and would support ongoing benefits to the entire region. “When the service was last active in the Dubbo market we recorded that passengers were staying for an average length of 8 days, which was beyond what we initially estimated in our projections. The economic impact of the initial trial in 2020 was estimated at a $3.8M injected into our region’s economy, as a direct result of this positive partnership between collaborative regional destinations,” said Ms Howard.
Flights can be booked via FlyPelican’s website or through your local travel agent, fares start at $179 one way inclusive of taxes.
Dubbo Regional Council continues to work closely with airline providers to provide the best service to our community. The Dubbo Regional Airport is providing direct flights to Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Ballina, Broken Hill, Bourke, Walgett and Lighting Ridge.
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