Gove Airport

Gove Airport
Main terminal entrance (2002)
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerNhulunbuy Corporation
OperatorNhulunbuy Corporation
ServesGove Peninsula, Northern Territory, Australia
LocationNhulunbuy
Elevation AMSL205 ft / 62 m
Coordinates12°16′12″S 136°49′06″E / 12.27000°S 136.81833°E / -12.27000; 136.81833
Map
YPGV is located in Northern Territory
YPGV
YPGV
Location in the Northern Territory
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
13/31 2,208 7,244 Asphalt
Statistics (2010–11[1])
Revenue passengers108,067
Aircraft movements2,702
Sources: Australian AIP and aerodrome chart[2]
Passenger and aircraft movements from the BITRE[3]
The never-operated control tower (2002)

Gove Airport (IATA: GOV[4], ICAO: YPGV) (also known as Gove-Nhulunbuy Airport) is on the Gove Peninsula in the Northern Territory of Australia. It services the mining town of Nhulunbuy and several Aboriginal communities including Yirrkala. The airport is located 5.8 nautical miles (10.7 km; 6.7 mi) south southeast[2] of the Nhulunbuy town centre, on Melville Road.[5] It is operated by the Nhulunbuy Corporation.[2]

Airnorth operates daily scheduled services to and from Darwin and Cairns and once weekly services to Groote Eylandt. Scheduled services are also operated by Mission Aviation Fellowship to local communities within the East Arnhem region.

The airport is a regional hub for air charter operations with various charter companies based and/or operating out of Gove. These include Air Arnhem, Marthakal Yolngu Airline, Katherine Aviation, Air Frontier, Black Diamond Aviation and Mission Aviation Fellowship.

History

The airport was originally the location of Airfield Gove during World War II.

Gove Airport is located on the site of the former RAAF Base Gove.[6] This World War II airbase was built in 1943 and named for Pilot Officer William Gove who was killed in action.[7] During the war, the airfield was used by No. 83 Squadron RAAF flying CAC Boomerangs and No. 13 Squadron RAAF flying Lockheed Venturas, with No. 42 Squadron RAAF operating PBY Catalina flying boats out of nearby Drimmie Head. At the height of operations, over 5,000 servicemen were stationed at the base.[7] The base closed in early 1946.

Facilities

The airport resides at an elevation of 205 ft (62 m) above mean sea level. It has one runway designated 13/31 with an asphalt surface measuring 2,208 m × 45 m (7,244 ft × 148 ft).[2]

A new terminal building was completed in 2005, providing an air-conditioned departure lounge and indoor baggage collection.[8][9][10]

Airlines and destinations

AirlinesDestinations
Airnorth Cairns, Darwin, Groote Eylandt, Wessel Islands
Mission Aviation Fellowship Elcho Island, Lake Evella, Milingimbi, Ramingining
QantasLink Charter: Brisbane

Statistics

Gove Airport was ranked 61st in Australia for the number of revenue passengers served in financial year 2018–2019.[3]

Annual passenger and aircraft statistics for Gove[3]
Year Revenue passengers Aircraft movements
2008–09
125,147
3,196
2009–10
104,075
2,952
2010–11
107,459
2,642
2011–12
102,844
2,718
2012–13
105,144
2,694
2013–14
103,562
2,663
2014–15
62,811
1,978
2015–16
55,984
1,892
2016–17
58,429
2,076
2017–18
59,223
2,015
2018–19
57,298
1,914
2019–20
45,213
1,675
2020–21
40,493
1,547

See also

References

  1. ^ Fiscal year 1 July – 30 June
  2. ^ a b c d YPGV – Gove (PDF). AIP En Route Supplement from Airservices Australia, effective 13 June 2024, Aeronautical Chart Archived 27 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ a b c "Airport Traffic Data 1985-86 to 2020-21". Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE). September 2021. Retrieved 9 December 2015. Refers to "Regular Public Transport (RPT) operations only"
  4. ^ "Gove Airport (GOV / YPGV)". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 3 August 2011.
  5. ^ "Airport Guide: Gove (Nhulunbuy) Airport". Qantas. Retrieved 3 August 2011.
  6. ^ "RAAF Base Gove". RAAF Museum.
  7. ^ a b "Gove". The Sydney Morning Herald. 8 February 2004.
  8. ^ [dead link‍]"Gove Airport". Territory Business Channel. 22 October 2003. Archived from the original on 26 August 2006. Retrieved 15 April 2006.
  9. ^ "New Gove Airport". Tourism Australia. 21 March 2005. Archived from the original on 7 September 2006. Retrieved 15 April 2006.
  10. ^ "Information about the Gove Peninsula and Nhulunbuy". Gove Online. 21 March 2005. Archived from the original on 5 August 2018. Retrieved 15 April 2006.
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