Majority Indigenous-owned Altura Airlines has landed its maiden flight at Uluru. The flight carried Indigenous rangers, community representatives and leaders to the 2026 Indigenous Desert Alliance Conference.
Key points:
- The first passengers on a new Indigenous-owned airline: desert rangers bound for Uluru
- Why some rangers used to drive 16 hours to get to this meeting
- Three A320s on order, and plans that reach well past the runway
The Boorloo/Perth-based charter airline ran the flight with Maroomba Airlines. Altura is an official event partner of the conference, the largest gathering of Indigenous desert rangers in Australia, which runs from 10 to 12 November.
"Our maiden flight to Uluru is a significant milestone for Altura Airlines and a wonderful example of what can be achieved through strong, values-aligned partnerships," Altura Director Dr Amanda Healy said.
"Delivered in collaboration with Maroomba Airlines and supporting the Indigenous Desert Alliance Conference brings together aviation, community and connection to Country in a really meaningful way."
Dr Healy said she wanted the airline's impact to reach past its passenger lists.
"As a majority Indigenous-owned airline, we want Altura to create opportunities that extend well beyond the flight itself," she said.
"Supporting an event that brings together Indigenous rangers, leaders and communities from across Australia's desert regions reflects the purpose behind Altura and the kind of partnerships we want to continue building into the future."
The alliance represents 29 Indigenous land management organisations across Australia's deserts, which cover a third of the continent. Its 2024 conference at Yulara drew 423 delegates from 54 ranger groups.
For many of those rangers, the trip to the alliance's annual meetings is long. Dr Healy told the AEMEE conference in Broome last week that she was surprised to learn some members had driven 15 or 16 hours to attend.
Dr Healy is a Wonnarua woman and co-founder of Indigenous mining services company Warrikal. She launched Altura from Perth in July with Maroomba Airlines executives Michael Evans and Phil Garcia. The airline flies Maroomba's Dash 8 fleet for mining, resources and government clients across regional and remote Australia.
Altura says it exists to build Indigenous participation in aviation and strengthen connections with Country and communities. It calls the Uluru flight a first step as it builds partnerships with Indigenous organisations, industry and government.
The next step is bigger aircraft. Altura has three Airbus A320s on order, each seating about 170 passengers, and Dr Healy said she hopes to have them flying early in the new year.
