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Moruya Airport

Coordinates: 35°53′52″S 150°08′40″E / 35.89778°S 150.14444°E / -35.89778; 150.14444
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Moruya Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
OperatorEurobodalla Shire Council
LocationMoruya, New South Wales
Elevation AMSL17 ft / 5 m
Coordinates35°53′52″S 150°08′40″E / 35.89778°S 150.14444°E / -35.89778; 150.14444
Map
YMRY is located in New South Wales
YMRY
YMRY
Location in New South Wales
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
18/36 1,523 4,997 Asphalt
05/23 827 2,713 Bitumen
Sources: Australian AIP and aerodrome chart[1]

Moruya Airport (IATA: MYA, ICAO: YMRY) is an airport located 3.5 NM (6.5 km; 4.0 mi) northeast[1] of Moruya, New South Wales, Australia, at the mouth of the Moruya River. It is one of two airports with regular passenger flights in the state's South Coast region, but also caters to general aviation and tourism operators, as well as emergency services.

History

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First licensed as an aerodrome in 1939,[2] Moruya airport was acquiredby the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) as RAAF Base Moruya in 1942. Three runways were laid out adjacent to the mouth of the Moruya River. Moruya was home to No. 11 Operational Base Unit to provide support for RAAF aircraft utilising the airfield. With ownership transferred to the Department of Civil Aviation following the war, it was not until the 1960s that the airfield was upgraded with the installation of navigation aids and runway lights.[2]

Between 2005-06 and 2010–11, the number of revenue passengers handled by the airport grew from 16,759 to 20,301.[3]

2019-20 bushfire emergency

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During the 2019–20 bushfire emergency, the airport and adjacent river were a staging point for aerial firefighting efforts.[4] In December 2019, a catastrophic bushfire cut road links, isolating the town.[5] The resulting highway closures left Moruya Airport as a vital resource in the protection of the local region from the devastating bushfires.

Operations

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Moruya Airport is a regional hub for a variety of emergency services, providing vital services for the local region that otherwise would not exist without the airport. The Westpac Lifesaver Rescue Helicopter Service has maintained a base at Moruya Airport since 2010, providing a search and rescue service with specialist medical crews,[6] while other aeromedical retrieval services including Toll Air Ambulance and the Royal Flying Doctor Service regularly visit the airport. During bushfire seasons, fleets of firefighting aircraft are stationed at Moruya Airport to aid in bushfire protection.[7]

Passenger service is provided by Regional Express using Saab 340 turboprops several times a week to and from Sydney, with most inbound flights continuing to Merimbula to the south. The small terminal is located to the East of the runway, sharing a parking lot with a beachside camping ground.

Other operators include the Moruya Aero Club and a small flying school. A number of tourism focussed businesses are located at Moruya Airport. Skydive Oz conduct parachuting operations from a facility at the airport, regularly hosting the annual NSW & ACT State Skydiving Championship.[8] South Coast Seaplanes, based at the airport offer a charter service and scenic flights. They announced plans for scheduled flights between Moruya and Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra twice per week in 2022, subject to a number of approvals.[9]

Airport facilities

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The airfield has a two sealed runways orientated North to South and Northeast to Southwest. The primary runway, 18/36 measures 1,523 m × 30 m (4,997 ft × 98 ft) and is equipped with pilot-operated lighting for night operations, while the shorter 04/22 is 827 m (2,713 ft) in length and is used mainly by light aircraft. The volume of traffic at the airport is generally low, so there is no control tower. Instead, pilots are required to communicate via a Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF) to safely co-ordinate arrivals and departures.[1] A Non-Directional Beacon (NDB) previously located at the airport was decommissioned in 2016.[10] Both Avgas and Jet A1 fuel is available.

Eurobodalla Shire Council is planning to enlarge the terminal, increase the size of the apron, extend the runway and build a parallel taxiway.[11][12]

Airlines and destinations

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AirlinesDestinations
Rex Airlines Merimbula, Sydney[13]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c YMRY – Mourya (PDF). AIP En Route Supplement from Airservices Australia, effective 13 June 2024, Aeronautical Chart Archived 11 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ a b "Moruya Airport New South Wales". Country Airstrips Australia. 15 June 2020. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  3. ^ "Australia's Regional Airports: Facts, Myths and Challenges" (PDF). Australian Airports Association. November 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  4. ^ "Town cheers on water bombing pilots as they pick up water from local river". 7 News. 6 January 2020.
  5. ^ "This town should be full of tourists – instead it's full of smoke". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 21 December 2019.
  6. ^ https://www.lifesaver.org.au/moruya-south-coast/
  7. ^ "Major Fire Updates – Tuesday 28th January – Bega Valley, Snowy Monaro and Eurobodalla Shires".
  8. ^ "2019 NSW & ACT State Skydiving Championships at Moruya Oct 5th to 7th". The Beagle. 3 October 2019.
  9. ^ Nick Fuller (22 December 2021). "Seaplanes to Sydney and the South Coast". Canberra Weekly.
  10. ^ "Navigation Rationalisation Project – Decommissioning List". Airservices Australia. 14 January 2016.
  11. ^ Thistleton, John (29 December 2012). "Larger airport may put Moruya on map". The Canberra Times. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
  12. ^ "Tourism and hospitality industries encouraged to have their say on Moruya airport". 2EC News. 26 March 2015. Archived from the original on 4 January 2017. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
  13. ^ "Route Network". Regional Express. Archived from the original on 6 January 2009. Retrieved 23 December 2008.
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