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Bourke Airport

Coordinates: 30°02′18″S 145°57′06″E / 30.03833°S 145.95167°E / -30.03833; 145.95167
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Bourke Airport
Airport reception building front (2021).
Summary
Airport typePublic
LocationBourke, New South Wales
Elevation AMSL352 ft / 107 m
Coordinates30°02′18″S 145°57′06″E / 30.03833°S 145.95167°E / -30.03833; 145.95167
Websitewww.bourke.nsw.gov.au
Map
YBKE is located in New South Wales
YBKE
YBKE
Location in New South Wales
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
05/23 1,830 6,004 Asphalt
18/36 1,000 3,281 Grass
Source: AIP Enroute Supplement[1]

Bourke Airport (IATA: BRK, ICAO: YBKE) is an airport located 4 nautical miles (7.4 km; 4.6 mi) north[1] of Bourke, New South Wales, Australia. The airport is located at an elevation of 352 ft (107 m) above sea level. It has two runways: 05/23, an asphalt runway 1,830 m (6,004 ft) long, and 18/36, a grass runway 1,000 m (3,281 ft) long.[1]

Facilities

As part of the unemployment relief grant from the Civil Aviation Department made money available to build a second runway at the Bourke Aerodrome.[2]

The airport was opened for access in 1943 as a base for World War II.

A radio location service was intended to be installed at the airport by August 1946.[3] Inquiries were also being made about lighting. Butler's Douglas DC-3 was now making regular flights into Bourke by April 1946.

May 1949 saw a tender awarded to Amalgamated Wireless (Australasia) to install a radar-style distance measuring beacon, with 'DME', an omni-radio range installation.[4]

Butler Air Transport Limited sought to have the airfield upgraded to support a possible change from the Douglas DC-3 to the Vickers Viscount, otherwise the Sydney–Bourke route was not economically viable.[5]

The airport on Friday 7 December 1962 saw the town turn out to welcome Commonwealth Games high jumper medalist Percy Hobson (athlete) on his return.[6]

An April 1964 meeting discussing a twenty-four hour service by air ambulance across NSW was met with skepticism as Bourke was not equipped for night landings or radio navigation beacons.[7]

By 1965 Airlines of NSW was running flights to and Sydney on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.[8] Also at this time it was noted:

The engineer at Bourke airport is Percy Weatherilt, 86, the oldest practising aircraft engineer in the world. He still services some 40 private small aircraft which are owned by graziers in the Bourke district and used daily on their properties.

The 1970s saw complaints about the standard of toilet facilities, namely a small block.[9]

The airport was used by the Royal Australian Air Force to bring in supplies during the floods in 1976 and 1990.

Airlines and destinations

AirlinesDestinations
Air Link Dubbo[10]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c YBKE – Bourke (PDF). AIP En Route Supplement from Airservices Australia, effective 13 June 2024
  2. ^ "Our Local Parliament". Western Herald (Bourke). No. 1553. New South Wales, Australia. 11 May 1934. p. 3. Retrieved 27 April 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ "Progress". Western Herald (Bourke). New South Wales, Australia. 3 May 1946. p. 6. Retrieved 27 April 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ "A.W.A.Radio Beacon For Bourke". Western Herald (Bourke). New South Wales, Australia. 20 May 1949. p. 8. Retrieved 27 April 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ "Shire Of Darling". Western Herald (Bourke). New South Wales, Australia. 25 May 1956. p. 7. Retrieved 27 April 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ "Stop Press". Western Herald (Bourke). New South Wales, Australia. 7 December 1962. p. 1. Retrieved 27 April 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ "24-Hour Air Ambulance Undertaking 'Nonsense'". Western Herald (Bourke). New South Wales, Australia. 10 April 1964. p. 10. Retrieved 27 April 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ ""Rhino"". Western Herald (Bourke). New South Wales, Australia. 12 February 1965. p. 1. Retrieved 27 April 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ "Bourke Airport". Western Herald (Bourke). New South Wales, Australia. 27 February 1970. p. 1. Retrieved 27 April 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. ^ "AIR LINK AND FLYPELICAN BRINGING FLIGHTS BACK TO WESTERN NSW". Australian Aviation. 27 August 2019. Retrieved 20 October 2019.


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