Lockhart River Airport (IRG)

Departures from Lockhart River Airport (IRG) at a glance

• 3flights a day72nd busiest of 111 airports
• 2routes from here
• 1airline
• 11:15 – 16:55first and last00061218

Collected between 29 October 2026 and 30 October 2026. Not live — check with the airline before booking.

Lockhart River Airport (IRG) is five kilometres from the Lockhart River community, on the east coast of Cape York Peninsula in Queensland. It is run by Lockhart River Aerodrome Company Pty Ltd, an independent company owned by Lockhart River Aboriginal Shire Council; the company also owns and manages the Iron Range Cabins beside the airport. The council says that during the wet season, when road access can be cut off for months, the airport "plays a key role in getting vital supplies and services into the community".

Skytrans is the airline recorded at the airport, with direct flights to Cairns and Aurukun. The Queensland Government says the possession of alcohol is prohibited in Lockhart River, and the council says the gravel roads into the community become impassable in the wet season.

Direct domestic flights recorded from Lockhart River Airport

Direct domestic flights recorded from Lockhart River Airport go to the places below, each flown by Skytrans.

Destination	Airport	Airline recorded
Aurukun	Aurukun Airport (AUU)	Skytrans
Cairns	Cairns Airport (CNS)	Skytrans

At Lockhart River Airport

Who runs the airport

Airservices Australia's aerodrome entry, in its issue of 3 September 2026, names Lockhart River Aerodrome Company Pty Ltd as the aerodrome operator. The company describes itself as an independent entity owned by Lockhart River Aboriginal Shire Council, and the council says it provides all the maintenance the runway needs. The company also owns and manages the Iron Range Cabins and sells aviation fuel and diesel, and it says its diesel bowser is open to the public during business hours.

The terminal

According to the council, work began in 2018 on a new 100 square metre terminal building, which has provided a seating area, indoor and outdoor waiting areas, a secure luggage and air freight enclosure and a toilet with disabled facilities. The operator says the terminal building has seating and toilet facilities, and lists baggage handling, security and passenger check-in among the ground services it provides. Airservices Australia's aerodrome entry lists a public telephone in the community and toilets under passenger facilities, and notes Telstra mobile coverage.

The runway and its history

The council describes a 1500 metre sealed, all-weather runway with pilot-activated lights. According to the operator, the airport sits on one of the original runways of a large bomber base that American forces set up at Lockhart River during World War II. The council says the old terminal building was first established when American troops constructed the airport in that war.

Skytrans's rules and the weather

Check-in and identification

Skytrans's Terms and Conditions, effective 24 July 2026, say check-in closes 45 minutes before the scheduled departure time at Aurukun, Bamaga, Kowanyama, Lockhart River and Pormpuraaw airports, and 30 minutes before at all other airports. Skytrans says passengers who do not check in before closure will not be able to travel, and that passengers who have checked in online must present their bags at the check-in counter before closure. It also says you will be required to provide identification at check-in, and asks you to contact Skytrans before your flight if you have questions about acceptable identification.

Lockhart River Airport's operator gives its own advice, separate from Skytrans's closing time: arrive at the airport and check in at least one hour before your flight.

Baggage

Skytrans's allowance for "All Other Flights" is two carry-on items up to 7 kg combined and two checked items up to 20 kg combined, for each passenger occupying a seat. Carry-on items must not exceed 48 cm long, 34 cm high and 23 cm wide, checked items must not exceed 140 cm in total dimensions (height, width and length added together), and Skytrans says items over 32 kg or 140 cm must be booked as freight. Wheelchairs, other mobility aids and strollers do not count towards the allowance.

Skytrans says baggage travels on the same flight as the passenger where possible, but may go on the next available flight where that is impractical, and that excess baggage may not be carried on the booked flight. Damage or loss must be reported to Skytrans within 24 hours, and if no staff are present on arrival, Skytrans asks for photographic evidence taken at the airport. It also says it is against the law to bring restricted items, as defined by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), onto the aircraft in carry-on or checked baggage; its examples include compressed gases (some common camping equipment), flammable liquids and solids, and poisons, and firearms may only be carried with approval as checked luggage.

Skytrans's Terms and Conditions say alcohol management programmes are in place in many of the communities in Cape York, and that Skytrans will not carry passengers with alcohol on flights into these communities. Its Travel Information page says alcohol is not permitted on Skytrans Australia flights operating into or via dry communities, whether in checked baggage, carry-on baggage or on your person.

Children and special assistance

Skytrans says infants (under 2) and children (2 to 11) must travel with a parent or a passenger aged 15 or over who is an immediate family member or authorised guardian, unless a child is accepted for carriage as an unaccompanied minor. For an unaccompanied minor, Skytrans says the parent or guardian completes its form, the person escorting the child at departure stays at the airport until the flight has left, and the person collecting the child must produce identification. Skytrans says it may refuse travel if the collection arrangements are not confirmed.

Skytrans says it may be able to provide limited assistance at some ports for special requirements such as wheelchairs and service dogs, and asks you to contact it before booking to confirm availability. Where the airline requires one, a medical clearance form must be completed by a registered medical practitioner no more than 10 days before the flight, unless Skytrans approves otherwise. Skytrans does not provide therapeutic oxygen for passenger use, and says a passenger who needs it must provide their own medical oxygen equipment or portable oxygen concentrator and obtain medical clearance before travel.

Delays, cancellations and weather

Skytrans's Terms and Conditions say schedule times may change without notice and that travel at the booked date and time is not guaranteed. Its Disrupt Policy, effective 1 July 2025, lists weather affecting operational conditions among delays outside its control, and says that for a delay of more than two hours notified more than 24 hours before the flight, you can cancel for a refund or credit or move to another Skytrans flight on the same route. For a cancelled flight, Skytrans says it will move passengers to an alternative Skytrans flight, where possible on the same day, and may offer a different aircraft, another carrier or a nearby alternative destination.

The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) describes the monsoon as part of northern Australia's wet season from November to April, and says monsoonal rains can cause flooding and cut off roads. The BoM gives the official tropical cyclone season in the Australian region as 1 November to 30 April.

Getting into town and where to stay

From the airport to the community

The airport is five kilometres from the Lockhart River community, and the council says the township sits about two kilometres inland from Quintell Beach. Lockhart River Car Hire, which the council describes as a locally owned and operated family business in operation since 2008, hires two-wheel drive (2WD) and four-wheel drive (4WD) vehicles to fly-in clientele. The operator lists car hire as available through Lockhart River Car Hire.

The council's fuel supply page says unleaded and diesel fuels are available by self-service from the retail store in Lockhart River, and that the next retail fuel outlet outside Lockhart River is 144 kilometres away at the Archer River Roadhouse.

Accommodation

According to the operator, the Iron Range Cabins, beside the airport, are self-catering cabins owned and managed by the company that runs the airport, which says it has a unit set up for wheelchair and impaired mobility access. The council says there are no designated camp grounds in Lockhart River itself. In the township, the council's accommodation page lists a Guest House with rooms with shared bathrooms, kitchen and lounge and dining facilities, as well as a self-contained unit.

Road access and the wet season

The council says road access to the community is by unsealed gravel roads, and that 4WD vehicles are the most reliable form of vehicle transport on Cape York Peninsula. It says roads linking Lockhart River to Cairns and other towns are usually accessible in the dry season, generally between June and mid-November, but that between December and May heavy monsoon rains make them impassable. The council also says it is not uncommon for the community to be inaccessible by road for many months of the year, and that during and immediately after the wet season Lockhart River is accessible only by barge and plane.

Lockhart River and Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) National Park

The community

According to the council, Lockhart River is about 800 kilometres north of Cairns by road, and the township is surrounded by Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) National Park. The council says the residents of the shire are mostly from the Wuthathi, Kuuku Ya'u, Kanthanumpu, Uutaalnganu, Umpila and Kaanju traditional family groups. In the council's history of the shire, the earliest European contact was in 1789, the Anglican mission was established in 1924, and Lockhart River Aboriginal Shire Council was established in 2005.

According to the council, the Lockhart River "Art Gang" was formed in 1995.

Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) National Park

Queensland Parks describes the park's long sweeping beaches, rocky outcrops and rugged, heath-covered ranges, and "the largest area of lowland tropical rainforest in Australia". It names the Kuuku Ya'u people, including the Kungkay people and Kanthanampu people, as the park's Aboriginal Traditional Owners, who ask that you respect and take care of their country. The park is jointly managed by the Northern Kuuku Ya'u Kanthanampu Aboriginal Corporation's land trust and the Queensland Government, under an Indigenous Management Agreement.

Queensland Parks says roads into and on the park are suited to four-wheel-drive vehicles only, and that the roads and camping areas are not suitable for caravans. It says the park is generally only accessible in the drier months (May to November), that roads can become impassable for extended periods in the wetter months (December to April), and that you should check road conditions before travelling on Portland Roads Road, which can become impassable after rain. It also says camping permits are required, domestic animals including dogs are not permitted, and there are no wheelchair-accessible tracks or facilities in the park.

The Queensland Parks safety page for the park warns that crocodiles are common in the estuaries and on the beaches around the park, and that stingers are present in the coastal waters at any time. It also says alcohol restrictions apply to the towns and areas around the park and points visitors to the Queensland Government's community alcohol limits page for the latest information.

Queensland alcohol and biosecurity rules

Alcohol in Lockhart River

The Queensland Government says the Lockhart River restricted area is the Lockhart River Aboriginal Shire, including all public and private places, and that the possession of alcohol is prohibited in Lockhart River. It says it is also an offence to attempt to bring alcohol into the restricted area, and that the penalties apply to all people living in, travelling through, visiting or working in the restricted area. Vehicles found carrying alcohol in the restricted area may be confiscated, and the Government's Lockhart River alcohol restrictions page sets out the penalties.

Far northern biosecurity zones

Business Queensland says two far northern biosecurity zones have been established in the northern half of Cape York Peninsula to control the movement of risk items that may carry pests and diseases south. It says moving plants, plant pests, soils and related equipment out of these zones requires a biosecurity instrument permit.

Commonwealth aviation security rules

Commonwealth screening rule for air services

The Cyber and Infrastructure Security Centre (CISC) says an air service that operates open charter or a regular public transport operation must be aviation security screened if it:

• uses aircraft with a seating capacity of 40 or more persons
• operates from an Australian designated, tier 1 or tier 2 security controlled airport
• uses any aircraft departing from the same apron as a screened air service operating at a designated airport

Home Affairs liquids, aerosols and gels restrictions

The Department of Home Affairs applies its liquids, aerosols and gels restrictions in these situations:

• when departing Australia
• when transiting through Australia from one country to another
• when travelling on the domestic leg of a flight departing from an Australian international terminal
• prior to boarding an inbound flight at its last point of departure before it reaches Australia

Where they apply, each container must be 100 mL or 100 g or less, and all containers must fit in one transparent, re-sealable plastic bag.

Questions about Lockhart River Airport

How far is Lockhart River Airport from the community?

The council and the airport's operator both put Lockhart River Airport five kilometres from the Lockhart River community. The council describes Lockhart River Car Hire as hiring vehicles to fly-in clientele, and the Iron Range Cabins are beside the airport.

When does Skytrans check-in close at Lockhart River Airport?

Skytrans's Terms and Conditions say check-in closes 45 minutes before the scheduled departure time at Lockhart River. The airport's operator separately advises arriving and checking in at least one hour before your flight.

Can you take alcohol to Lockhart River?

The Queensland Government says the possession of alcohol is prohibited in Lockhart River, whose restricted area is the Lockhart River Aboriginal Shire, including all public and private places. It also says it is an offence to attempt to bring alcohol into the restricted area.

Can you reach Lockhart River by road in the wet season?

The council says heavy monsoon rains make the roads impassable between December and May, and that it is not uncommon for the community to be inaccessible by road for many months of the year. During and immediately after the wet season, it says, Lockhart River is accessible only by barge and plane.

Does Lockhart River observe daylight saving?

No. Lockhart River is in Queensland, which does not observe daylight saving, and neither do Western Australia or the Northern Territory. New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory do.