National Capital Authority backs Sydney Seaplanes, South Coast Seaplanes to operate on Lake Burley Griffin

The National Capital Authority will support one company's bid to operate flights from Canberra to Sydney and a second operator to fly between Canberra and the South Coast.

A seaplane carrying up to 14 passengers would leave Sydney at 9am and 2.30pm and depart Canberra at 10.30am and 4pm for the one hour journey.

South Coast trips would take four passengers on a joy ride, with times and flight paths still to be decided.

Flights leaving before 10am and landing after 3.30pm would land at the airports, rather than on the water.

The authority has allowed Sydney Seaplanes and South Coast Seaplanes to operate the services for up to seven days a week.

Lake users have been invited to meet authority representatives on Wednesday to hear the pitch. Canberra Southern Cross Yacht Club has previously voiced concerns.

National Capital Authority chief executive Sally Barnes said an invitation has been sent to all lake user groups, ahead of the next stage of assessment.

"We're hoping they'll roll their sleeves up with us and actually make it as good as it can be," she said.

The Commonwealth government has final say on approval of the proposal's environmental impact, with a heritage value of the recently listed lake also required.

Having undertaken heritage and environment assessments prior to an original proposed 2021 start date, Ms Barnes said the authority was not anticipating any push back.

NCA chief planner Andrew Smith said concerns over disruption to flight paths of seagulls and other birds had previously been shown to be unfounded.

Passengers will disembark at a jetty on the eastern side of the National Museum of Australia. A pontoon will be built where the Paddle Steamer Enterprise is currently docked.

Ms Barnes said the planes will land further out in the lake and coast into the shoreline. She said it was expected the museum would offer special ticket prices to encourage people to visit.

The price of a flight between Canberra and Sydney is expected to be $300 each way.

"They'll get off and they'll wander up to the museum, hopefully have a coffee, lunch, whatever in town and go back there in the afternoon - or they'll stay longer," she said.

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Ms Barnes said the authority was not expecting any push back from the ACT government preventing flights from commencing next year.

She said the authority saw seaplanes as an additional way for all Australians to access Canberra.

"We see Canberra as a place for all Australians. We think all Australians should come to Canberra and experience their national capital," she said.

"The other thing we know is that every time we put anything on the lake people love it."

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