Wittenoom Gorge Airport
Wittenoom Gorge Airport | |||||||||||||||
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 Aerial photo of Wittenoom Gorge Airport taken on 22 September 1973. | |||||||||||||||
| Summary | |||||||||||||||
| Airport type | Defunct | ||||||||||||||
| Owner/Operator | Department of Civil Aviation | ||||||||||||||
| Serves | Wittenoom, Western Australia | ||||||||||||||
| Location | Wittenoom Contaminated Site | ||||||||||||||
| Closed | 1993 | ||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 22°13′35″S 118°21′41″E / 22.22639°S 118.36139°E | ||||||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||||||
  WIT Location in Western Australia | |||||||||||||||
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| Runways | |||||||||||||||
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Wittenoom Gorge Airport (ICAO YWIT, IATA WIT) is a former airfield located in Wittenoom, Pilbara region of Western Australia. In the 1950s, it played a key role Wittenoom’s asbestos industry by facilitating the immigration of workers. It was operated by the Department of Civil Aviation, and was closed in 1993.[1]
History
[edit]In March 1945, the airfield was rated “A” class in favour of winds and dry weather by the Department of Civil Aviation. On 28 August 1947, Airlines (W.A.) Ltd. opened a regular a service to Wittenoom, with £3/10/ for single and £6/4/ return.[2] On June 3, 1947, an air migration of 1000 workers to the town begun, where they would work in the Australian Blue Abestos Ltd. Aircraft operated by Airlines (W.A.) Ltd. were chartered to facilitate this operation.[3] On July 1947, an air service which would carry mail, passenger, freight, and medical facilities was opened to Wittenoom Gorge Airport by MacRobertson Miller Airlines from Port Hedland. These flights help facilitate the transportation of workers and supplies to the asbestos mining industry.[4]
On 22 January 1952, heavy rain rendered the airport unserviceable, which canceled a special Anson aircraft of Airlines (W.A.) Ltd.’s scheduled service.[5] In November 1954, increasing air traffic at Wittenoom Gorge Airport prompted the expansion of the runways. This mainly included the lengthening and widening of existing runways, and the grading and consolidation of the runway surface.[6] In 1955, runway 15/33 (5540 ft long) dirt strip was closed while two other runways were being used. The runway was paved with blue asbestos.[7] In 1958, the Department of Works constructed an airport terminal, which consisted of a passenger shelter with seating and a desk. There were also two toilets and a workshop. On the backside, there were three emerging tanks, a pump, and a 1,000 gallon water tank. Near the terminal was an equipment building.[8] In 1962, an airport powerhouse was installed by the Department of Civil Aviation. This included a site preparation access road, and associated pavements and engineering services.[9] By the 1970s, Wittenoom Gorge Airport later operated a Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) tower for the Department of Civil Aviation. The tower was also used by Telecom for providing links to telephones in the town prior to the construction of a new tower located at the Eastern edge of the town.[10]
Closure
[edit]By the 1990s, several services operating in the town begun to close, including the Wittenoom Gorge Airport. In 1993, Wittenoom Gorge Airport was officially closed.[11] In 1996, several buildings in the town were demolished, and the materials were subsequently buried in the airport grounds. In January 2008, the Department of Environment & Conservation designated the airport site as contaminated and unsuitable for human settlement.[12]
Cemetery
[edit]Located in the proximity of Wittenoom Gorge Airport, a small cemetery can be found with approximately 8 graves onsite. The burials took place between 1945 and 1951. Today, the cemetery remains neglected with a few wooden crosses that remain.[13][14][15]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ [1] Wittenoom Airport (abandoned), Ashburton] Mindat
- ^ "Airport News Round-up". The West Australian. National Library of Australia. 27 August 1947. p. 8. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
- ^ "Population To Fly To Mine Town". The Daily News. National Library of Australia. 29 May 1947. p. 1. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
- ^ "Airport News Round-up". The Daily News. National Library of Australia. 26 July 1947. p. 10. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
- ^ "Wittenoom Aerodrome". The West Australian. National Library of Australia. 22 January 1952. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
- ^ "Wittenoom Gorge and Township News". Northern Times. National Library of Australia. 11 November 1954. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
- ^ National Archives of Australia (1944–1955). "Wittenoom Gorge - Via Roebourne WA - aerodrome". Retrieved 2024-08-20.
- ^ "Wittenoom Aerodrome". Department of Works. National Library of Australia. 1958. Retrieved 23 June 2025.
- ^ "[Civil Aviation] Wittenoom Gorge - erection of an airport power house - including site preparation access road, associated pavements and engineering services". Department of Civil Aviation. National Library of Australia. 1962–1964. Retrieved 23 June 2025.
- ^ "Pilbara Railways Image Gallery". Pilbara Railways. Retrieved March 3, 2025.
- ^ "Wittenoom asbestos contamination and cleanup brochure" (PDF). Government of Western Australia. Department of Health, Western Australia. April 2021. Retrieved 2025-05-22.
- ^ "Wittenoom". National Library of Australia Web Archive. Retrieved March 3, 2025.
- ^ "Lonely Graves - Wittenoom Cemetery". Retrieved 2024-08-20.
- ^ "Wittenoom Gorge News". Northern Times. Vol. 75, no. 28. Western Australia. 12 July 1951. p. 8. Retrieved 3 October 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Wittenoom Old Airfield Cemetery". Outback Graves. Retrieved 26 May 2025.