Airport History
- When the Geraldton-Derby airmail service first landed at Broome in 1922, the "airport" was a smooth patch of sand on Cable Beach. Sometime in the mid 1920s, a dirt strip was graded adjacent to the old race course, near the airport's current location.
By 1935, the east-west airstrip was laid out in its present alignment. As aircraft became larger and faster, the runway expanded but the airport was really nothing more than a graded strip and a covered shed for a "terminal".
World War II saw a dramatic increase in activity as Broome Airport was a refuelling stop for military aircraft in the northwest region. In addition, Broome's Roebuck Bay became a stopover for huge flying boats evacuating Dutch refugees from Java, which was in the path of the advancing Japanese military.
The war reached Broome on March 3, 1942 when Japanese zero fighters attacked Broome Airport and the flying boats at anchor in the bay. Over 70 passengers in the flying boats were killed, just minutes before their scheduled takeoff. Gus Winkel, a young pilot, shot down one Japanese zero, balancing a 7.9mm machine gun on his shoulder. A second zero ditched into the sea on its way back to base. A road on Broome Airport is named after Gus Winkel.
In the immediate aftermath of the attack, Japanese invasion hysteria was so great that the airport runway was ordered destroyed. At the last minute cooler heads prevailed and the order was rescinded. Nevertheless, Broome was virtually abandoned after the attack and there were ongoing fears of the invasion that never came.
After the war, some determined pearlers returned to Broome hoping to regain the riches of years past. Although the industry did revive somewhat, previous shell prices were never realised. Also, the advent of plastics in the 1950s seriously eroded the demand for mother of pearl shell , the main product of Broome's pearling industry.
Fortunately for Broome and its pearling industry, experiments with cultured pearls were producing exciting results, with the prospect of pearls replacing pearl shell as the money making product. By the 1970s pearl farms were established in coastal waters, producing thousands of beautiful pearls - and reaping millions of dollars. Prosperity finally returned to Broome. With prosperity came new residents and a steady tourism increase for Broome and the Kimberley region, with Broome Airport as the main link to the region.
Broome Airport underwent several stages of expansion, with the first major improvements in 1991 when Airport Engineering Services purchased the airport from the Federal Department of Transport. This transition from government to private operations marked the beginning of a new era for Broome's airport.
- Outlined below is a list of major events in the airport's recent history:
April 1991: Airport Engineering Services Pty Ltd takes over from the Federal Department of Transport.
March 1992: International status granted.
August 1992: Runway length increased from 1500m to 2026m and aprons upgraded.
December 1992: First wide body international flight .
April 1994: International Terminal (Arrivals Terminal) completed.
September 1996: General Aviation facilities constructed.
January 1997: Departure Terminal completely renovated.
January 1998: Broome Airport Relocation Taskforce formed (BART).
June 1998: Airport Engineering Services Pty Ltd changed its name to Broome International Airport Holdings Pty Ltd.
January 2000: Master Planning starts for new airport.
March 2000: Regular International Passenger services started between Broome and Denpasar, Indonesia (Bali).
November 2000: Additional short term parking (Bays 7 and 8) and additional temporary terminal area opened.
July 2001: Bali services discontinued.
August 2001: Airnorth started direct services to Darwin.
September 2001: Ansett ceased services in Broome (and over Australia).
November 2001: Most of main runway resealed and runway 28 end reconstructed.
February 2002: Received State and Federal environmental clearances for the new airport site.
March 2002: Qantas starts Perth-Broome Boeing 737 services. Their new 737-800s join the route.
November 2002: Runway extension and repair work completed.
March 2003: Qantas start direct Melbourne – Broome services
April 2003: Virgin Blue commences operations with direct flights from Adelaide.
October 2003: Skywest airlines commences direct flights from Perth.
February 2004: Terminal upgrade and carpark work completed.
July 2004: Qantas start direct Sydney – Broome services
April 2007: Reith McLeod, Airport Manager since 1991, is replaced by Nick Belyea.
August 2007: Air North adds the Embraer 170 (76 seats) to the Darwin – Broome route.
June 2008: Airport Master Plan to 2025 released.
April 2009: Broome Heliport opened by the Premier, the Hon Colin Barnett.
