King Island Airport is a small regional airport located near the town of Currie on King Island off the north-west coast of Tasmania, Australia. The airport is owned and operated by the King Island Council.
History An aerodrome site on King Island was selected in 1932. This was seen as a necessity by the community who previously had relied entirely on slow ships in the treacherous Bass Strait to access Tasmania and the mainland. The first flight landed on 24 December that year. The aerodrome was licensed for commercial operations in January 1933, allowing Holyman's Airways to begin scheduled passenger service. At a ceremony on 2 December 1933, the airport was officially opened by Sir Ernest Clark, the Governor of Tasmania. Holyman's were joined in September 1934 by Tasmanian Aerial Services, who stopped at King Island as part of the Melbourne to Hobart leg of the Empire Airmail Service linking Australia with the United Kingdom. By February 1935, flights operated three times per week each to Melbourne and Launceston.
Airlines and destinations Passenger
Cargo
Accidents and incidents On 21 October 1978, 20-year-old Frederick Valentich disappeared over Bass Strait in mysterious circumstances while flying solo between Melbourne and King Island. While over Bass Strait, prior to his disappearance, Valentich reported encountering a strange object in the sky that did not appear to be an aircraft. An extensive search by the Royal Australian Air Force found no trace of Valentich or his aircraft. The airport was the site of a light plane crash on 26 November 1998, when a Piper Lance crashed shortly after takeoff on its way to Moorabbin, Victoria, killing three Melbourne nurses on board. It was suspected that a strong gust of wind just after takeoff caused the plane to stall and crash.
See also List of airports in Tasmania
References
External links King Island Council: King Island Airport