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DCN · medium airport

RAAF Base Curtin

Derby, Australia

Airports
DCNmedium airport

RAAF Base Curtin

Derby, Australia
Explore Derby city guide Navigate to this airport
2
Routes out
1
Destinations
YCIN
ICAO
300 ft
Elevation
TravelerPulse profile

Remote RAAF base serving Australia's northwest frontier.

Opened
1943
Location
Derby, Australia
RAAF Base Curtin is a Royal Australian Air Force facility located approximately 40 kilometres south of Derby in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. Originally constructed during World War II, the base has served various military purposes over the decades and retains strategic significance for Australia's northern air defence. The base is designated with IATA code DCN and ICAO code YCIN, reflecting its dual role as both a military installation and a registered aerodrome. It has been used for surveillance operations, training exercises, and as a bare base that can be rapidly activated during times of heightened defence need. Civilian use of the aerodrome is limited, and the facility is primarily oriented toward Australian Defence Force operations. Its remote location in the Kimberley makes it an important asset for monitoring Australia's northern approaches.
Getting to & from
The base is located approximately 40 kilometres south of Derby, with access primarily by road via the Great Northern Highway.
Notable facts
  • Originally constructed during World War II in the early 1940s.
  • Located in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, near Derby.
  • Functions primarily as an RAAF bare base capable of rapid activation.
  • Has been used for border surveillance and maritime patrol operations.
  • Civilian access and scheduled airline services are not regularly available.
This profile is provided for general information only. Details may be inaccurate or outdated — always verify with the airport's official website before acting on them.
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Route map (1 destinations)

Leaflet © OpenStreetMap © CARTO

Routes

DCN → PERNZ · 320 100
DCN → PERVA · 320 100
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RAAF Base Curtin
Encyclopaedia

RAAF Base Curtin, also sometimes RAAF Curtin is a joint use Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) military air base and civil airport located 19 nautical miles southeast of the town of Derby, Western Australia. As it is one of the RAAF's three bare bases, no RAAF units are permanently based at Curtin and it is maintained by a small caretaker staff during peacetime.

Read full article on Wikipedia