Truscott Airbase

Hi Peter,
As I understand it, the airbase is maintained by a mining company, and they discourage (forbid?) any aircraft landing there unless prior arrangement is made.
On my last visit to Kalumburu (2001), I was told access is not permitted by the council (though there appears to be a track there on some maps). It may well be washed out anyway.
I have spoken to an old guy who years ago moored at the old wartime landing and trekked in the 5 or so kilometres along the track. Not sure if this is possible today. Supposed to be a very interesting place. The mystery makes it all the more appealing....
Gerry

I checked it out through Yahoo and found that Cannon Carters has permission to go there. They fly in. I saw that the place was going to be expanded for Coast Watch. Lorry.

I know that there were plans to go in there with earthmoving gear from a barge in 1988 ( I was living in Kununurra at the time and was considering some front end loader work on the project)

Can't even remember what the plan was now and have no idea if it actually ever happened.

I might be able to assist you.

I was the Manager on station there for the first six months of 2002.

The operation was run at this time as a private unlicensed airastrip.

Visitors could come, with prearrangment, but the landing fees were the higest in Oz, at $500 per aircraft.

There was no way to drive in there. The Australia Army re-cut the access road into Truscott Air Base in 1988,when the area was redeveloped by SANTOS as a forward base of opperations for the rigs operation in the area, when the deloused the are of esplosives. They coul still go back and do it again, as I was forever finding "live ammo" in my limited wanderings arount the base.

The wartimw airstrip which was a PSP strip has been ripped up and disposed off, in favour of a 1400m * 15m tarmac sealed strip with a 400m dirt extension.

The operation is run out of Darwin by a company called Triple A nAir Services.

They use the location as a forward base to transfer crew from the drilling rigs by helicopter to aircraft for the 1 1/4 hour flight to Darwin. Paspaley pearls also use the area for a similar reason, tranfering staff from their fsrms via a Mallard flying boat to a Matro Liner to fly to Darwin as the mallard takes 2 1/4 hours of pure noise. I've done it!

The strip is also used by Coast Watch for refuelling purposes and coastal surveilance.

Only way in or out is by air, othe the once a month barge operation, that supplies all the dry goods and fuel, diesel for the plant and power supply, avgas and avtur for the aircraft.

The site is very interesting, as it is still in its 1948 state after it was ratted by the salvage merchants. There are still bitd of one of the spitfires that crashed on the strip in the bush alongside the fenceline, and a piece of a jap Dyna photo recone a/c that was shop dow in 1944.

The japs never found the strip though the did know about the Drysdale River Mission, and bombed it a few times. Now Kalumbaru.

Facinating area. I enjoyed working there

nick.