Departure
97%
vs 95% ▲ 2
MY FS FLIGHTS
MY FS FLIGHTS
Rockhampton Airport lies in West Rockhampton, Queensland, and serves as the principal gateway to Central Queensland, handling regular airline services to Brisbane, Cairns, Townsville and Mackay. For the visiting VFR pilot it offers a long, well-lit primary runway alongside a shorter crosswind strip, all under tower control, set within a rich aviation history stretching back to the 1930s.
Rockhampton Airport (YBRK) is a major regional Australian airport situated in West Rockhampton, Queensland, close to the city it serves. It combines scheduled airline operations with general aviation traffic and is a long-established aerodrome with a history tied to both civil and military aviation in Central Queensland. For a simulator pilot it presents an interesting mix of a substantial main runway suited to airline types alongside a much shorter secondary strip, all managed by an active control tower.
The aerodrome is a controlled airport, with ground and tower services provided on the same frequency. It is located in West Rockhampton, Queensland, close to the Rockhampton city centre, and sits at the coordinates -23.3819, 150.475 at an elevation of 30 feet.
Rockhampton has two physical runways. The main runway, 15/33, is a hard-surfaced, lit strip with a length of 8429 feet on the 15 threshold and 8623 feet on the 33 threshold, capable of handling large regional and jet airliner types. The secondary runway, 04/22, is also hard-surfaced and lit, with a length of 3937 feet on the 04 threshold and 2623 feet on the 22 threshold. There is no ILS at the field.
The airport broadcasts an ATIS on 116.9 MHz. The common traffic advisory frequency is 118.1 MHz, which also serves as the Rockhampton ground and tower frequency (ROCKY GND TWR). A flight service frequency is available on 119.55 MHz, and ground movements are additionally coordinated on 121.8 MHz.
The airport originated as Connor Park Aerodrome, where in late 1938 a meteorological office was established to support the growing volume of air traffic in and out of Rockhampton, providing weather observations for both aviation and general purposes; this presence continued until it was announced for closure in 2021. During the Second World War the Commonwealth took control of the aerodrome and the Royal Australian Air Force moved in, establishing an Aeradio station for air-ground communication that survived as a Flight Service Unit until 1992, along with control tower facilities. At one stage preparations were made to allow rapid demolition of the runways if required for defence purposes. The opening of the aerodrome greatly improved access to Rockhampton, and it became a regular stop for royalty, political leaders, sporting figures, senior military personnel and well-known aviators. The first helicopter to land at the airport arrived unannounced on 9 July 1952, when a RAAF Sikorsky S-51, flying from Brisbane via Bundaberg en route to Mackay and Townsville, put down to refuel. In 1965 Ansett-ANA and TAA introduced special tourist air fares to Rockhampton, a move that drew criticism in Canberra after comparisons were made with passenger numbers at Canberra Airport, despite Rockhampton recording 43,368 passengers in 1963.
Rockhampton continues to operate as a major regional airport with scheduled airline services connecting the city to Brisbane, Cairns, Townsville and Mackay, alongside general aviation activity. The aerodrome remains under tower control, with ground and tower operations conducted on a shared frequency.