Pilot’s Guide - Newman YNWN to Broome BRM

Day 2 of our flying trip to the Kimberley. The route took us from Newman (Martu country) where we had stayed for an overnight stop to Broome. This route took us across the edge of the Great Sandy Desert to Sandfire Roadhouse where we topped for lunch and to stretch the legs.

Well fed and well rested after a good sleep the night prior at Mia Mia in Newman we met our ride to the airport! Patchy and his pride and joy 1978 Bay model Volkswagen Kombi caused much excitement! Never has a lift to the airport been this stylish! After sharing stories of the outback and various mishaps involving failed caravan wheel bearings, we bid goodbye and made our way onto the airfield.

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Sandfire Roadhouse is a nice halfway stopping point as we cross the edge of the Great Sandy Desert. The roadhouse is a short 5 minute walk from the airstrip. We sat in the shade to eat our sandwiches with the occasional squawk from a peacock in the background. There is food and drinks available to purchase and clean toilets. There is no AVGAS at Sandfire. We have the range to fly from Newman to Broome without needing to refuel.

The next leg took us into the Kimberley where the ground was noticeably greener after having so much rain during the previous Wet season. The views coming around Roebuck Bay over the mud flats are always spectacular. Final approach for ruway 10 brings you in over the famous Cable Beach. We spied a camel train plodding along the beach as we came in to land.

Broome Broome car hire are always very helpful and we book with them each time we come to Broome. They pick us up and drop us off at the Charter Aircraft Base at Broome airport.

We stayed at Sea Shells overnight which was very comfortable and gave us an opportunity to do our shopping at Woolies and freeze any meat overnight for the next day of travel to Mount Hart.

A favourite dinner spot in Broome is the Little Indian restaurant in the town centre. Two curries, a serve of rice, condiments, paratha and gulab jamun is perfect for two hungry pilots!

All in all a pleasant day of flying with a max ground speed of 165 knots with the strong tailwind.