Hopetoun Airfield

The airfield was closed due to being replaced by a superior facility. The primary driver was economic development related to the mining industry, specifically the Ravensthorpe Nickel Operation. The original Hopetoun Airfield was a basic, unsealed strip that could not accommodate the larger turboprop aircraft (like the Dash 8 or Fokker 50) required for regular public transport (RPT) and Fly-In-Fly-Out (FIFO) charter services for the mine. The new Ravensthorpe Airport was constructed to modern standards to handle this increased traffic, making the old airfield redundant.

The site is an abandoned and disused airstrip. Satellite imagery clearly shows the faint outline of the former runway, which is now unmaintained, partially overgrown, and returning to nature. There is no remaining infrastructure, and the site is not used for any official aviation or commercial purpose. The land remains undeveloped.

This was the original airstrip for the remote town of Hopetoun. For many years, it served as a critical infrastructure link, supporting general aviation, light charter flights, and essential services such as mail delivery and the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS). Its operations were limited to small, light aircraft capable of using a short, unpaved runway. It was a lifeline for the isolated community, providing crucial access for medical emergencies and transport before the construction of the new regional airport.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the old Hopetoun Airfield. The nearby Ravensthorpe Airport (YRVT), located approximately 20km north, is a fully operational and far more capable facility that comprehensively serves all aviation needs for Hopetoun and the surrounding Shire of Ravensthorpe. Reopening an obsolete airstrip in such close proximity to a modern airport is economically and logistically unviable.