Busselton Margaret River Airport

History

Busselton Regional Airport was opened on 15 March 1997 by Premier of Western Australia Richard Court replacing Busselton Aerodrome, established in 1940, that was used extensively during World War II. A Government of Western Australia subsidised service operated from Perth to Busselton from 1997 to 2001 (via Margaret River Airport from 1999). It was operated by Skywest Airlines (now Virgin Australia Regional Airlines), Maroomba Airlines and Skippers Aviation.

In 2007, Rio Tinto launched its first flight from the airport for fly-in fly-out workers at its mines. Skywest Airlines/Virgin Australia Regional Airlines operated a service from Perth to Albany via Busselton from July 2011 until December 2014, before scaling it back to operate between Perth and Busselton before cancelling it altogether in April 2015.

Between June and December 2014, upgrades to the terminal were made. In June 2015, funding was allocated for further upgrades and redevelopment of the airport. As part of the funding agreement, Margaret River was officially added to the title of the airport in October 2015. In 2017, a $69.7 million redevelopment of the airport commenced which included:

• lengthening, widening and strengthening of the existing runway to facilitate Code E aircraft;
• a new 4 bay Code E aircraft parking apron and connecting taxiways;
• a new passenger terminal;
• a new general aviation precinct;
• upgrades to the existing Code C apron
• new aeronautical ground lighting;
• new parking facilities;
• upgrades to the internal road network; and
• infrastructure to support the development of freight and commercial opportunities.

As part of the development, a new terminal building was proposed to be built in front of the new Code E Apron to help facilitate future interstate and international services. In early 2018, the Government of Western Australia placed the construction of the new terminal building on hold until a major commercial airline committed to interstate services that were shown to be viable.

In September 2019, it was announced that Jetstar was to launch a subsidised service to Melbourne in April 2020. As a result of the service confirmation, the Western Australian government announced it would spend an extra $3.2 million upgrading the airport's terminal. The commencement of the service was postponed eight times due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Flights began as part of a three-year trial of the route on 6 April 2022. The terminal upgrade was also postponed until after the three-year trial period.

In April 2019, the airport was designated as an international alternate airport to Perth; previously the closest airports with this designation were Learmonth and Adelaide.

In 2023, there were renewed calls to upgrade the terminal before the conclusion of the three-year trial period after the success of the new service and increases in mining flights, with annual passenger numbers jumping from 25,000 before the pandemic to 95,000 by 2023. In March 2024 Jetstar commenced flights to Sydney after the success of the Melbourne service. In June 2024, a new Royal Flying Doctor Service facility opened. QantasLink attempted to launch another Perth–Busselton commercial service on 27 June 2025, but it was cancelled three months later and its final flight was on 6 October; however, the airline still offers charter flights on the route.

Busselton is home to the largest fly-in fly-out workforce in Western Australia outside Perth, resulting in the airport seeing numerous mining charters for BHP, Fortescue and Rio Tinto each week.

Airlines and destinations

| Alliance Airlines | Charter: Coondewanna, Newman, Perth | Jetstar | Melbourne, Sydney | QantasLink | Charter: Christmas Creek, Solomon, Perth | Skippers Aviation | Charter: Perth, Thunderbox Gold Mine | Virgin Australia Regional Airlines | Charter: Barimunya, Boolgeeda, Geraldton, Perth, West Angelas

Facilities

Busselton Margaret River Airport has a single 2,460 m and 45 m runway (03/21) and is rated at Code E with capability to handle aircraft the size and weight of an Airbus A330.

Precision Approach Path Indicator is available for both ends and low-intensity runway lights can be activated by radio (Pilot Controlled Lighting). Two illuminated windsocks are on site.

Non-precision instrument approaches include GNSS (GPS) approaches to both runways, and a sole NDB (automatic direction finder) approach to runway 21.

References

References

1. {{AIP AU. YBLN. link. (10 April 2012)
2. {{ASN. BQB
3. (15 March 1997). "New Busselton airport will play major role in development of SW". [[Government of Western Australia]].
4. Busselton Airport opens ''[[Australian Aviation]]'' issue 128 May 1997 page 21
5. (3 April 2001). "Busselton air service too expensive to operate: Minister". Government of Western Australia.
6. (27 November 2007). "Miners welcome Rio Tinto's new FIFO service". [[ABC News (Australia).
7. (28 November 2014). "Virgin Australia announces new schedule on Albany and Esperance routes". [[Virgin Australia]].
8. Parish, Rebecca. (20 April 2015). "Virgin cancels Busselton trial". Busselton Dunsborough Times.
9. Brown, Natalie. (14 October 2011). "Flights need 'ramp up': Skywest". Busselton Dunsborough Times.
10. (18 May 2015). "Busselton Regional Airport terminal upgraded". Government of Western Australia.
11. (29 October 2015). "Official name launched for Busselton Airport". Busselton-Dunsborough Mail.
12. Kirk, Emma. (2018-05-01). "Airline decision still looms".
13. (30 September 2019). "Vic-Busso flights to take off". The West Australian.
14. (4 October 2019). "Jetstar announces new air route between Melbourne and Busselton". ABC News.
15. Elliott, Sophie. (4 October 2019). "Jetstar launches Busselton to Melbourne flights with fare sale". [[PerthNow]].
16. Myles, Cameron. (4 October 2019). "Jetstar flights from Melbourne to Busselton to take off in March 2020". [[WAtoday]].
17. Dias, Dinushi. (6 April 2022). "Direct flights launched between Melbourne and WA's Margaret River tourism and wine region". [[ABC News (Australia).
18. (1 April 2019). "Busselton Margaret River Airport designated as an international alternate airport". Busselton-Dunsborough Mail.
19. (3 February 2023). "Renewed push to expand Busselton Margaret River Airport after passenger numbers soar". ABC News.
20. (16 November 2023). "Sydney to Busselton flights set to boost international tourism in Margaret River, Western Australia". ABC News.
21. [https://newsroom.jetstar.com/jetstar-launches-the-first-ever-direct-flights-from-sydney-to-was-margaret-river/ Jetstar launches the first ever direct flights from Sydney to WA’s Margaret River] Jetstar 26 March 2024
22. [https://www.flyingdoctor.org.au/wa/news/new-rfds-facility-opens-busselton/ New RFDS facility opens at Busselton] [[Royal Flying Doctor Service]]
23. (20 February 2025). "Qantas announces Perth-Busselton flights in boom". Travel Weekly.
24. McArthur, Bridget. (18 September 2025). "Qantas axes Perth to Busselton flights less than three months after service launched". ABC News.
25. (3 October 2023). "City of Busselton and Rio Tinto partnership consolidated for another three years". Busselton-Dunsborough Mail.
26. (16 November 2023). "Jetstar launches route from Sydney to Margaret River". Australian Aviation.
27. "Virgin Australia NS26 Preliminary 737 MAX 8 Network Expansion".
28. (26 May 2016). "Airservices Australia AIP Aerodrome Chart".