Digging into their own pockets and their own property, John and his family built an airport just outside Toowoomba, which is capable of landing jumbos. The new airport is a driving factor in the Regional Australia Institute’s projection of a $10b expansion in the local economy over the next 15 years.John tells Kendi Burness-Cowan how the Wagners went from talking about building an airport to opening one in the space of just a few years, and why vision and courage are essential for regional Australia.

This month is supported by the Regional Australia Institute.