Wickham, AU 🇦🇺 Closed Airport
AU-0681
-
- ft
AU-WA
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Loading...GPS Code: Not available
Local Code: Not available
Location: -20.675792° N, 117.125072° E
Continent: OC
Type: Closed Airport
Keywords: YWKH YWKH
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Designation | Length | Width | Surface | Status |
---|---|---|---|---|
05/23 |
3871 ft | - ft | X | Active |
Type | Description | Frequency |
---|---|---|
CTAF | CTAF | 122.4 MHz |
MISC | MISC | 122.2 MHz |
MISC | MISC | 123.9 MHz |
The airport was gradually phased out and is believed to have officially closed in the late 1990s or early 2000s. A precise date is not publicly documented, as its closure was a process of operational consolidation rather than a single event.
The closure was due to economic and operational consolidation. The nearby Karratha Airport (IATA: KTA, ICAO: YPKA) was developed and expanded into a major regional hub capable of handling larger jet aircraft (such as the Boeing 737 and Fokker 100) used for the growing Fly-In/Fly-Out (FIFO) workforce. It became more efficient and cost-effective for mining companies, including Rio Tinto, to centralize their air services at the single, more capable Karratha Airport rather than maintaining multiple smaller airstrips like Wickham.
The site is completely decommissioned and no longer functions as an airport. Satellite imagery clearly shows the faint, ghostly outline of the former runway. The land has been repurposed and partially absorbed by the expansion of industrial facilities related to the Cape Lambert port operations. The area is now occupied by industrial infrastructure, including storage yards and access roads, making it unusable for any aviation activity.
The Wickham Airport was the original airstrip built to serve the town of Wickham and the associated Robe River Iron Associates (now part of Rio Tinto) iron ore operations at Cape Lambert. Established in the early 1970s, it was a critical piece of infrastructure during the construction and initial operational phases of the port and railway. It primarily handled smaller charter and commuter aircraft, such as Fokker F-27 Friendships and general aviation planes, transporting personnel, essential supplies, and facilitating early FIFO services before the region's infrastructure was fully developed. It was vital for connecting the remote mining community to Perth and other regional centers.
There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the Wickham Airport. The prospect is effectively zero. The region is comprehensively served by the modern Karratha Airport, which has undergone significant upgrades to handle large volumes of passenger and freight traffic. Furthermore, the original airport site has been physically encroached upon by industrial development, making any potential restoration unfeasible and economically unjustifiable.
Reply to @GlasairSportsman: Thank you. I've updated the airport status. It's always sad when an airport closes.
Note that Wickham airport is now permanently closed. The expansion of Rio Tinto's Cape Lambert Port has resulted in its closure.