Coomalie Creek Airfield

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Coomalie Creek Airfield

Coomalie Creek Airfield in 2008

IATA: none
ICAO: YCCR

Summary

Airport type

Private

Owner

Richard Luxton

Location

Coomalie Creek, Northern Territory

Elevation AMSL

175 ft / 53 m

Coordinates

13°00′35.5″S 131°07′49″E / 13.009861°S 131.13028°E

Map

Coomalie Creek Airfield

Location of airport in Northern Territory

Runways

Direction	Length		Surface
Direction	ft	m	Surface
17/35	4,986	1,520	Gravel

Coomalie Creek Airfield was a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) airfield built in 1942 in what is now the locality of Coomalie Creek, Northern Territory, Australia during World War II.^[1] The airfield fell into disuse after the war ended. Since purchasing the surrounding land in 1977, private owners have restored the runway and rebuilt some wartime buildings to preserve the airfield's history.^[2] It was listed on the Northern Territory Heritage Register in 2011, along with a nearby anti-aircraft battery that was used for airfield defence.^[3]

History

The airfield was operated by No. 54 Operational Base Unit. The first unit to arrive was No. 31 Squadron, equipped with Bristol Beaufighters, in November 1942.

No. 1 Photo Reconnaissance Unit RAAF (1 PRU) arrived at the airfield in 1943 equipped with P-38 Lightnings, de Havilland Mosquitos and CAC Wirraways. 1PRU was re-designated No. 87 Squadron RAAF on 10 September 1944.

In November 1944, three Dakotas from No. 34 Squadron were detached to the airfield, prior to staging north of Australia.

No. 87 Squadron launched the last Australia-based operational RAAF mission of World War II from Coomalie Creek. The airfield was abandoned after World War II and is now in private ownership.

Part of Leg 9 of The Amazing Race 9 was conducted at Coomalie Creek Airfield.

Japanese air raids at Coomalie Creek Airfield

23 November 1942
27 November 1942
2 March 1943
13 August 1943
21 August 1943
10 November 1943

References

^ "Place Names Register Extract for Coomalie Creek Landing Ground (sic)". NT Place Names Register. Northern Territory Government. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
^ David Hancock (28 March 2013). "Runway revival". R.M. Williams Outback. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
^ "World War II (WWII) Coomalie Airstrip". Northern Territory Heritage Register. Northern Territory Government. 15 June 2011. Retrieved 25 January 2022.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Coomalie Creek Airfield.

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External territories	Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Norfolk Island Wilkins
This lists airports in Australia with scheduled passenger services. Statistics. Airports in bold are international airports.

v t e Airports in the Northern Territory
Public airports	Alice Springs Ayers Rock Bathurst Island Borroloola Croker Island Darwin Elcho Island Garden Point Gove Groote Eylandt Hooker Creek Kalkgurung Lake Evella Maningrida Milingimbi Ngukurr Numbulwar Oenpelli Port Keats Ramingining Smith Point Snake Bay South Goulburn Island Tennant Creek Ti-Tree Yuendumu
Private airports	Emkaytee Jabiru McArthur River The Granites Victoria River Downs
Military airports	Darwin Tindal
Defunct airports	Batchelor Coomalie Creek Daly Waters Fenton Gorrie Gould Hughes Katherine Livingstone Long MacDonald Manbulloo Parap Pell Pine Creek Sattler Strauss
Related	New South Wales Queensland South Australia Tasmania Victoria Western Australia Territories of Australia
Airports in bold are international airports