Busselton Margaret River Airport

The regional Busselton Margaret River Airport (BMRA) has been developed to accommodate interstate and international air services. Jetstar has been secured to provide a future air service that will directly link the East Coast of Australia with the South West of Western Australia.

The first-ever commercial air service between Melbourne and Busselton – disrupted from its original commencement date by the COVID-19 pandemic – has opened a new gateway into Western Australia that will allow visitors to fly direct to the South West.

Services commenced 6 April 2022 and run three times a week. The service provides a regular passenger transport service that will boost the local tourism industry and unlock new opportunities in investment and job-creation.

The significant State Government and local support for the City of Busselton-managed BMRA has already resulted in the generation of business and employment opportunities, in addition to the millions of dollars spent locally during construction.

The airport can cater for wide body aircraft such as the Airbus A330 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner, and the potential for freight is being explored. The airport services the largest non-metropolitan FIFO workforce in Western Australia underpinning the State’s important mining sector. It is also a strategic base for emergency services aircraft which support firefighting efforts across the State and country. One large C130- Large Aircraft Tanker and supporting infrastructure has been based at the airport for the 2020/21 bushfire season and a RAAF C17 was recently landed to deliver essential fire retardant material. This would not have been possible prior to the runway and apron upgrades.

The South West Development Commission was instrumental in building the business case for the development of the airport and secured funding for the project. The State Government, through the South West Development Commission and Tourism WA, has worked closely with the City of Busselton to take the project from the business case stage to development to securing an airline service. 

On August 9 2023,  the State Government announced the commencement of further planning for the long-term infrastructure needs of the Busselton Margaret River Airport, on the back of strong passenger growth and the potential for additional services. The $250,000 business case will assess the long-term demand and asset sustainability of the facility, with a focus on the passenger terminal and supporting infrastructure. The State Government will allocate $127,000 towards the business case, which will be complemented by funding from the City of Busselton and other local governments in the South West.