Premier Chris Minns has used a visit to Tamworth to showcase a series of education investments, culminating in the opening of a facility positioning the city as a growing pilot training hub.
The visit to Tamworth on Wednesday began at Hillvue Public School, where a new co-located public preschool is nearing completion ahead of a planned Term 2 opening.
The facility will cater for up to 80 children per week and is part of a $769 million rollout of 100 public preschools across NSW, nearly half of them in regional areas.
“Affordable, high-quality early learning can set children up for the best possible start, but we know regional families have struggled to access these services in their communities,” Minns said.
“That’s why we’re investing $769 million to build 100 new public preschools co-located at public schools, making the school drop off and pick up easier for families.”
Minns also visited the Tamworth CBD to mark the start of construction on the University of New England’s new Tamworth Central campus at the former velodrome site.
Backed by $26.6 million from the NSW Government alongside contributions from UNE, Tamworth Regional Council and the Commonwealth, the four-storey facility will provide more than 2,000 square metres of teaching, research and student space, with completion expected in 2027.
“This milestone brings Tamworth one step closer to a brand-new university campus, giving more people the opportunity to study and build careers close to home,” Minns said.
The visit concluded at Tamworth Regional Airport, where Minns officially opened a new pilot training school operated by Singapore Flying College, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, at the International Flight Training Tamworth facilities.
“Singapore Flying College’s new purpose-built school in Tamworth will strengthen Singapore Airlines’ pilot training capabilities,” Singapore Airlines Senior Vice President Flight Operations and Chairman of Singapore Flying College, Captain Eugene C. Antoni, said.
“By increasing training capacity, we can continue providing an exceptional learning environment for our cadets, and support a strong pipeline of future aviation professionals.”
Complementing SFC’s established pilot training operations in Jandakot, Western Australia, the new Tamworth training school is set to progressively expand over the next five years to meet the demand for the airline’s pilot training.
The school is currently supported by four Cessna 172 aircraft, one Cessna 172 flight simulator, and newly renovated accommodation. The facility has already trained 32 cadets in 2025, with a further 30 currently undertaking training, and is set to expand over the next five years.
Supported by dedicated instructors, aircraft and simulation facilities, the expansion builds on Tamworth’s existing aviation infrastructure, including a dedicated training runway and around-the-clock operations.
Minns said the investment highlighted the strength of regional NSW in attracting international partnerships.
“Singapore Flying College is a prime example of the international investment opportunities regional NSW has to offer,” he said.
“This state-of-the-art training facility cements Tamworth’s place as one of the leading pilot training hubs in the country and will help create skilled jobs and deliver long-term economic benefits for Tamworth and the broader region for years to come.”
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