McArthur River Mine Airport (MCV)

Departures from McArthur River Mine Airport (MCV) at a glance

• 2flights a day81st busiest of 111 airports
• 1route from here
• 1airline
• 10:30 – 20:45first and last00061218

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

McArthur River Mine Airport (MCV) is an aerodrome in the Northern Territory run by McArthur River Mining Pty Ltd, and the site's schedule data records Airnorth flights from it to Darwin. It shares its name with Glencore's McArthur River Mine, a zinc and lead mine in the Gulf of Carpentaria region, south-west of the township of Borroloola.

The aerodrome and McArthur River Mine

Airservices Australia's aerodrome entry for the strip (issue of 3 September 2026) heads it "MCARTHUR RIVER MINE" and names McArthur River Mining Pty Ltd as the aerodrome operator.

McArthur River Mine is an open cut zinc and lead mine, operating since 1995, that Glencore describes as one of its most remote Australian operations. Glencore places the mine in the Gulf of Carpentaria region, 970 km south-east of Darwin by road or 716 km by air, and 65 km south-west of Borroloola township. Glencore says its lead concentrate is trucked 800 kilometres to its Mount Isa Mines lead smelter for further processing, and its zinc concentrate 120 kilometres north to the Bing Bong Loading Facility at the southern end of the Gulf.

Glencore says its formal engagement on cultural heritage management is through the Gudanji Yanyuwa Garrwa and Marra Aboriginal Corporation, which is representative of traditional owners and custodians for cultural heritage on the land where the mine operates. Glencore's website carries a 360 virtual tour of the mine.

Direct domestic flights recorded from McArthur River Mine Airport

Direct domestic flights recorded from McArthur River Mine Airport go to the destination below, flown by Airnorth.

Destination	Airport	Airline recorded
Darwin	Darwin International Airport (DRW)	Airnorth

Airnorth's destinations page says it flies its Embraer E170 jet "to the McArthur River region in a shared service between contracted charters for McArthur River Mining and regular passenger transport". Airnorth's fleet page lists the E170 with a 2 x 2 seat configuration. In a 2018 release, Airnorth said it had retained the contract to provide chartered air services to Glencore's McArthur River Mine, and called the mine its largest contract charter client.

Airnorth check-in, baggage and assistance rules

Check-in and identification

Airnorth's conditions of carriage ask passengers on domestic flights to complete check-in "at least 60 minutes and no later than 30 minutes before departure", and a passenger who has not checked in by the minimum time will not be permitted to travel. The conditions say web check-in opens 24 hours before departure, that passengers with baggage to check must go to an Airnorth counter, and that passengers with special needs and unaccompanied minors must check in with Airnorth staff rather than through web check-in. Airnorth also says some of its routes are excluded from web check-in for operational reasons.

For domestic flights, the conditions list the only acceptable forms of photographic identification: a national passport, a driver's licence issued under Commonwealth, State or Territory law, an identifying document issued by the Commonwealth, a State or Territory or one of their authorities, or an aviation security identification card. Each must be valid at the time of travel, and Airnorth says you may be asked to produce photo identification at the boarding gate.

Baggage by aircraft type

Airnorth sets its allowances by aircraft type. On domestic flights, each adult and child (except infants) has a 20 kg checked allowance on the Embraer E170 and E190 jets and 15 kg on the Embraer E120, and one piece must not exceed 32 kg. For cabin bags, Airnorth's carry-on page gives 9 kg on the E170 and 4 kg on the E120, and asks passengers connecting to an E120 to keep their carry-on within the E120 rules.

Airnorth says that when payload is restricted, checked bags may travel on the next available flight, which you can collect from the airport. Airnorth's carry-on page says "the lighter the better", because there can be a fair distance to walk at some airports and limited space in the cabin. Check Airnorth's baggage pages before you pack.

Airnorth's dangerous goods page sets the airline's own baggage rule for alcoholic beverages: they may go in carry-on or checked baggage, in retail packaging, up to a net 5 L per person and no stronger than 70% alcohol. The page says anything dangerous must be declared at check-in.

Children travelling with Airnorth

As a guideline, Airnorth says, children who are not yet five years of age are regarded as unable to travel independently, and are not eligible to travel unless accompanied by an appropriate Accompanying Passenger, and Airnorth generally will not consider a passenger appropriate for a child unless the passenger is at least 15. In its general rules for unaccompanied children, Airnorth says they must be booked through Airnorth Reservations on 1800 627 474, and that a child under 12 travelling unaccompanied will be escorted through the airport by airline staff.

Boarding, assistance and disruption

Among the things Airnorth's special and medical needs page says a passenger travelling without a carer must be able to do is manage "aircraft stairs if a port does not have a Disabled Person Lift (DPL) available". Airnorth asks passengers with special needs to complete its assistance form and email it at least 72 hours before a flight, and says that without advance notice a passenger may not be able to travel on their chosen date or flight.

Airnorth's conditions name bad weather among the reasons a flight may be delayed or cancelled, and allow Airnorth to substitute another aircraft without notice. Where events beyond its control, weather among them, cause a significant change, Airnorth says it will use reasonable endeavours to rebook you on its next available flight, or refund the fare if it cannot rebook you on services acceptable to you. It says it will not be responsible for costs or expenses you incur from the delay or cancellation unless applicable laws, such as the Australian Consumer Law, require it.

The Bureau of Meteorology says the monsoon is part of northern Australia's wet season from November to April, and that it can bring long periods of heavy rain and fresh to strong squally winds, which can lead to floods in affected areas. It gives the official tropical cyclone season in the Australian region as 1 November to 30 April.

The township of Borroloola

Roper Gulf Regional Council's Borroloola page places the township on the eastern coast of the Northern Territory in the Gulf of Carpentaria, on the banks of the McArthur River, 670 km east-south-east of Katherine. The council calls it one of the largest communities in the Roper Gulf region.

The council says Borroloola can be reached on the Carpentaria Highway, a sealed, single lane road, about seven hours' drive from Katherine. The township is also on the Savannah Way, and the council says the road east is unsealed and can be subject to closures in the wet season.

The same page lists the McArthur River Caravan Park and the Savannah Way Motel as commercial accommodation in Borroloola, along with fuel, shops, a health centre where Top End Health Service provides primary health care, a police station and Telstra 4G coverage. Glencore says its office in Borroloola is a place where community members can engage with its people.

Limmen National Park in the Gulf region

The Northern Territory Government's Limmen National Park page places the park in the Gulf region of the Northern Territory (NT), calls it a favourite among self-reliant anglers and four-wheel drivers, and says travellers come here annually, especially to catch barramundi. It says visitors to the NT need an NT Parks Visitor Pass for the park, and that to camp you must book online and pay before you go, because you can't pay at the site.

The page says Butterfly Falls is seasonal and can stop flowing in the dry season, and asks visitors not to swim anywhere but Butterfly Falls, because there are saltwater crocodiles in all other waterways in the park. It lists a ranger station, drinking water, public toilets, a picnic area, a four-wheel drive track and a walking track among the park's facilities.

The page warns of limited services along the 338 km between Roper Bar Park and Store and Cape Crawford, and says the park may close due to flooding in the wet season. The page gives 08 8973 8888 as the park's phone number.

Permits for Aboriginal land in the Northern Territory

The Northern Territory Government on airstrips

The Northern Territory Government says you don't need an entry permit "to directly access" these areas on Aboriginal land: airstrips, landing places, main access roads into major communities, and public areas within the communities. It also says members of the public should contact a land council to check if they need entry or any other permits.

The Northern Land Council's rules

The Northern Land Council (NLC), which administers the permit system for traditional owners in the Top End, says Commonwealth and Northern Territory law require a written permit for entry to Aboriginal land. In its area, the NLC says you need a permit to enter Aboriginal land or waters for any purpose, to travel by private road on Aboriginal land, or to enter or visit an Aboriginal community. Its Recreation Permit covers anyone visiting an art centre or other recreational attractions on Aboriginal land.

The NLC asks applicants to allow up to 10 days for processing, and says closures for cultural reasons such as funerals and ceremonies do occur at short notice.

Liquor permits and restricted areas in the Northern Territory

The Northern Territory Government's permit rules list illegally bringing liquor into, or having liquor in, a restricted area among the breaches that lead to a liquor permit being refused or revoked. The government's liquor permits page says that to buy, keep and drink takeaway alcohol in any restricted area in the NT you must hold a liquor permit, and that on Aboriginal land, "unless allowed by permit, alcohol is banned". The rules page adds that its rules and conditions apply to communities where alcohol permits are required, that communities may have additional conditions, such as rules on transporting alcohol, and that some communities do not issue permits to visitors.

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 McArthur River Mine Airport

Who runs McArthur River Mine Airport?

Airservices Australia's aerodrome entry, issued on 3 September 2026, names McArthur River Mining Pty Ltd as the aerodrome operator.

Which airline flies from McArthur River Mine Airport?

The site's schedule data records Airnorth flights from McArthur River Mine Airport to Darwin. Airnorth's destinations page describes its E170 service to the McArthur River region; see the section above for its words.

How early should I check in for an Airnorth flight?

Airnorth's conditions of carriage ask domestic passengers to complete check-in at least 60 minutes and no later than 30 minutes before departure. Web check-in opens 24 hours before departure.

Is daylight saving observed at McArthur River Mine Airport?

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