ROADBOSS traces the incredibly complex – and interdependent – supply chain critical to the smooth operation of one of Australia’s busiest and most remote regional airports on Hamilton Island
Like the flock of Currawongs patiently waiting to swoop into Hamilton Island’s Marina Tavern to steal diners left-over meals, ROADBOSS photographer Matt Williams and I are perched near the Shute Harbour barge ramp ready to capture the Emerald Carrying Co (ECC) fuel tanker as it traverses the hill leading down Shute Harbour Drive and along Whitsunday Drive to the harbour.
We’ve been here since the crack of dawn, grabbing an Uber from nearby Airlie Beach keen to capture the majestic sunrise over the pristine waters of Shute Bay and the first smattering of islands that make up the always-impressive Whitsundays – including South Mole and Long Island.
It’s just us, a couple of deckies prepping the two barges that service Hamilton and Hayman Islands most days, and (for a Monday morning) a surprising number of eager fishermen launching their tinnies for a day out trawling the waters off the coast.
Our contact – David Lesage, whose company Whitsunday Aviation Refuelling is the Hamilton Island site agent for Viva Energy Australia – insisted we needed to be at the harbour at 6:00am in readiness for the arrival of ECC driver Colin Keam between 6:15am-6:25am and departure of the barge at 6:30am sharp.
Time was of the essence he stressed – with the barge on an immovable schedule that would wait for no-one, let alone two shiny-arsed journalists/photographers from the big smoke! He’d even supplied a detailed map and instructions on where we needed to be (and shouldn’t be), and when, to ensure everything went smoothly.
Every step of the way it’s checking paperwork and testing fuel. And then we get audited every year to make sure the paperwork is all right.
In anticipation, Matt’s got the drone circling overhead waiting for first sight of the schmick-looking Kenworth T409 dolled up in the Emerald Carrying Co’s striking brown, maroon and gold livery as it rounds the final bend before making its descent down to the harbour.
While we’re waiting, we’re approached by a deck hand from the ‘Samson’, the barge that will be ferrying us across to Hamilton Island. Old mate is curious why we’re here and what we’re doing – not surprising considering we stand out like dogs balls amid the sea of high-vis’d-up barge crew and truck drivers busily loading trucks and pallets of essentials on to the boat ahead of departure.
Informed we’re waiting for the arrival of Colin and the ECC fuel tanker, old mate confidently tells us the truck won’t be coming for another half hour.
Naively taking him at his word, Matt pulls the drone out of the sky, aware of the need to preserve the flying camera’s battery life.
Then all of a sudden ‘The Jet Express’ appears in sight. “F*** f*** f*** f***,” Matt screams as he struggles to reconnect the drone and get it back up in the air. Too late! By the time the drone is back in the air the opportunity has been missed. As we both curse old mate, Colin’s parked the truck in the holding area and jumped out of the cab rapidly heading our way with a big smile on his face. He’s seen the drama unfold down below.
As we recount what’s gone on, he shakes his head and laughs, proudly declaring that he always arrives between 6:15am-6:25am on the dot – and has done ever since he started the gig seven years ago. As hindsight will teach us, we should have listened to Dave!
The airport is entirely dependent on the barge for fuel. On average they receive 3.5 loads per week but at Christmas time it could be upwards of seven or eight a week. Images: Matt Williams
After the 75-minute barge trip across to Hamilton Island, he greets us at our arrival point near the Hamilton Island Marina in his electric-powered golf cart – one of literally hundreds on the island necessary for both workers and visitors to traverse the island’s hilly terrain.
It soon becomes very clear that Dave – a 30-plus-year Viva Energy veteran – runs his operation with military-like precision.
Not without reason. As he informs us on the trip through the village’s narrow streets, up along Marina Drive and onto Airport Drive to Hamilton Island Airport, we’ve got just an hour and 15 minutes to unload the fuel at the fuel depot and get the truck back for the return barge trip. No time for photo stops!
And this is not a pump and dump exercise. We’re talking aviation fuel – known as Jet A-1, a kerosene-based fuel for turbine engines which must meet strict international standards for quality and performance.
The fuel – imported from Singapore – is tested at every stage of the process in accordance with global aviation quality standards: before it’s loaded onto the trucks in Townsville, on the truck after loading, when it arrives at the depot, after pumping into the tanks, and again before it is pumped into the aircraft by one of the company’s two jet-dedicated aircraft refuelling trucks.
Aviation fuel quality is a serious matter.
Reliable refuelling capability is essential for the airport’s ability to support both commercial airline services and the high level of private aviation traffic.
Fuel is tested for density (proportional to the amount of energy stored per unit mass), water content and other impurities.
It is also matched to the incoming batch paperwork to ensure it is the correct fuel and traceable to the original refinery batch all the way back to Singapore.
“Every step of the way it’s checking paperwork and testing fuel. And then we get audited every year to make sure the paperwork is all right,” Dave tells us above the hum of the pump transferring the 35,000 litres of jet fuel at rate of 1,100 litres per minute from the truck into one of four on-site tanks – three for jet fuel and the other for avgas used by propellor engines.
After the transfer, the fuel is tested again to confirm quantity and quality.
The challenges of island life
Ensuring the fuel tankers stick to their short window between arrival and departure is just one part of an incredibly complex – and interdependent – supply chain critical to the smooth operation of the airport.
The airport – opened in 1984 alongside the resort built by tourism entrepreneur Keith Williams – sits at the heart of what’s now Australia’s premier tropical island resort destination, owned since 2003 by the Oatley family, previously of Rosemount Wines fame, until its recent sale to private equity giant Blackstone.
Dangerous goods regulations mean that fuel can’t travel on the barge with food, can’t travel with gas, so fuel deliveries are limited to Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Images: Matt WIlliams
With its location some 20 kilometres off the coast, the international airport is arguably the most critical piece of infrastructure on the island.
The airport has grown from a small regional facility into a major tourism gateway, providing Australians and international visitors with direct access to the heart of the Great Barrier Reef within approximately two-and-a-half hours from major cities such as Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Cairns.
As the island’s reputation for luxury experiences, world-class hospitality and tropical natural beauty continues to grow, the airport now welcomes more than 500,000 passenger movements each year.
Without it, the island would cease to function. And without a reliable source of fuel, the airport (and, therefore, the island) would grind to a halt.
“Reliable refuelling capability is essential for the airport’s ability to support both commercial airline services and the high level of private aviation traffic,” Airport Operations Manager Yoni Hadar tells us.
“The presence of Viva Energy’s fuel operation, managed in accordance with global aviation quality systems, ensures aircraft can operate with confidence and flexibility, which is critical for an island airport with no land-based road access.
The presence of Viva Energy’s fuel operation … ensures aircraft can operate with confidence and flexibility, which is critical for an island with no land-based road access.
“The Viva Energy team maintains strong safety and quality standards, ensuring every aircraft has the fuel it requires before departure. This is supported by the island’s logistics and barge teams, who manage the continuous delivery of fuel by truck via the barge.
“Together, these operations play a vital role in sustaining daily airline services, supporting tourism, and maintaining the broader economic success of Hamilton Island and the Whitsundays region.”
From cradle …
When we meet Colin at Shute Harbour, he’s already been on the job for some four hours.
His day started at 2:30am with a pre-start check of the already loaded truck in Townsville, before the three-and-a-half-hour journey to the harbour.
Colin’s been driving for the company for seven years and speaks fondly of his employer – a highly respected carrier established in 1965 by Bill and Joan Haylock which remains today a family owned and operated business with a fleet of over 100 beautifully presented trucks specialising in bulk liquids transport and general freight throughout Queensland.
“It’s not a bad gig. I love the job and I’m trying to keep a hold of it,” he says, citing his favourite part of the job the boat ride across Shute Bay.
The Emerald Carrying Co trucks have just an hour and 15 minutes to unload the fuel at the fuel depot and get the truck back for the return barge trip. Images: Matt Williams
A truck driver for 18 years, with extensive aviation fuel haulage experience and with previous stints driving around town in Townsville and carting bitumen as far south as Brisbane, Colin does the Townsville-Hamilton Island run three days a week. The other two days are spent carting jet fuel and avgas to Mackay.
Steering ‘The Jet Express’ – whose immaculate presentation belies the 1.5 million kilometres on the clock – and the precious cargo of 35,000 litres of aviation fuel stowed behind in its Marshall Lethlean trailer is just the first link in the complex supply chain.
While the drive south is pretty straight forward, this is tropical North Queensland, an area renowned for constant road closures – especially due to bad weather.
And with just 310,000 litres of storage at the Hamilton Island fuel depot – the equivalent of eight days’ supply or eight tanker loads, any delays have the potential to impact the airport’s operations.
Dave – who describes the end-to-end supply chain as “cradle to grave” – points out the operation averages 25,000 litres of fuel usage per day (or about seven million litres per year), although that can ramp up to 35,000-40,000 litres during peak holiday periods.
“The biggest roadblock for deliveries are the roads between Townsville and here and then the barge itself. If the road gets blocked by an accident or severe weather event, that eights days’ supply gets eaten up pretty fast,” he says.
The biggest roadblock for deliveries are the roads between Townsville and here and the barge itself.
“They can actually go out through the mines and come that way but a lot of times when there’s flooding or cyclones across the coast that option is out as well.
“Dangerous goods regulations mean that fuel can’t travel on the barge with food, can’t travel with gas, so we’re limited to Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays to bring fuel across. After that it’s up to us to charter the barge to bring fuel across.
“It is paramount to have good two-way communication between the barge and Emerald Carrying Co to ensure it flows seamlessly.”
Bad weather can throw another spanner in the works. In good weather airlines undertake what is called “tankering” – that is, they fly to the island with a full load of fuel of anywhere from 20,000-25,000 litres – so only top up on the island.
“When they do that we’re only putting in say between 2,000 and 4,000 litres on to each aircraft. But just recently – because of storm activity down south – we got absolutely slammed because the aircraft were in holding pattern and just going around in circles … and so they are then pulling heaps of fuel out of here [for the return trip]. So, we were down to less than half of our smallest tank here and the rest were empty,” he explains.
“When our tanks are at half full – because of the logistics of getting fuel across – that’s dire straits for us. We have to be boosting stocks up.
The supply chain critical to ensuring the smooth operation of the airport is incredibly complex, with all elements – from the trucks to the barges – closely interwined. Images: Matt Williams
“At the moment we’re boosting stocks. We’ve got two [tanker deliveries] today, two Wednesday, one Thursday and one Friday coming towards us.
“On average they do 3.5 loads per week throughout the year but at Christmas time it could be upwards of seven or eight a week.”
Reaching that ‘goldilocks’ level of fuel – not too much, but just enough – is a “constant juggling act”, Dave adds. “We’ve got a computer program that looks at that and gives you a bit of a crystal ball look into future fuel flow. It means we can order fuel accordingly and request assistance from Emerald Carrying Co and the barge. Both companies are extremely helpful. At the end of the day, we are just one of the island businesses that requires product to keep the island ticking. It’s an amazing logistical effort.
“It is a juggling act with the barge, Emerald Carrying Co and us. They do their best, the barge is doing their best, and my job is, and Shane’s job is, to make sure we can fit the fuel in that’s coming across. If he gets on the barge and can’t unload at the fuel depot, that fuel has got to go back to Townsville, and we’ll be issued with a ‘please explain’ because it’s around about a $4,000 exercise [to get a fuel tanker to the island].”
For these reasons, Dave – who previously managed multiple sites for Viva Energy including Weipa, Mooranbah, Mackay and Proserpine – reckons Hamilton Island is among the hardest airport sites to run. “You’ve got to be so much on the ball, especially when it gets busy. Today is a quiet day – if you multiply what you see today by 10-fold, with the fuel coming in and going out the door, the logistics of the barge and all that sort of stuff, and the trucks if they break down, it really does become an interesting site to manage. Plus, you’re on an island, you just can’t get Enzed across to fix up a tube or something,” he says.
“It’s a well-oiled machine. But it’s a real need factor to be able to work in with the barge operators, the airport, the pilots, everyone, because at the end of the day we’re working on an island and you need that degree of co-operation to make it all work.”
When our tanks are at half full – because of the logistics of getting fuel across – that’s dire straits for us. We have to be boosting stocks up.
… to grave
Hamilton Island Airport ranks among Australia’s busiest regional airports, receiving more than 50 scheduled airline services a week, operated by Qantas, Virgin Australia and East Air. These services provide consistent daily connections to Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Cairns.
Alongside the regular services, the airport also handles more than 250 private aircraft movements annually, ranging from light Cessnas to long-range business jets such as the Global 7500.
General aviation activity is strong as well, with daily helicopter and seaplane operations transporting guests to iconic destinations including Whitehaven Beach, Heart Reef and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
While ensuring a sufficient supply of fuel available for aircraft is critical, so too is the efficient and safe refuelling of all these aircraft (as well as a large helicopter fleet run by private operator Hamilton Island Air).
That’s where Shane Hall enters the picture. As Whitsunday Aviation Refuelling’s Depot Manager, the quietly spoken, but incredibly assured, Canadian is responsible for aircraft refuelling operations.
He’s been Dave’s right-hand-man for more than eight years – recruited from the huge (and very transient) pool of workers peaking at some 1,600 in high season that underpin the island resort’s vast operations, ranging from hotel and other accommodation, to property development and sales, to a huge array of bars and restaurants, spas and wellness retreats, golf courses and water sports, and even golf buggy hire.
The Hamilton Island fuel depot has 310,000 litres of storage capacity – the equivalent of eight days’ supply or eight tanker loads. Images: Matt Williams
On top of his role as depot manager, Shane is also Whitsunday Aviation Refuelling’s aircraft refueller. For that he’s a professional plane spotter – constantly monitoring, and preparing for, upcoming arrivals.
The company operates three trucks (including a new Isuzu and new IVECO) capable of holding 16,000 litres of fuel across two compartments in their Holmwood Highgate-built tankers.
On the day ROADBOSS visited Hamilton Island, refuelling jobs ranged from a small East Air Cessna Caravan that had flown in from Cairns to a Qantas-operated Airbus A220 jet that had arrived from Sydney.
Amid the buzz of aircraft landing and taking off left, right and centre, Shane gently guides the fuel-laden Isuzu from Whitsunday Aviation Refuelling’s depot across the main runway into position alongside the plane.
Safety is paramount when dealing with flammable aviation fuels. Both jet and avgas are flammable products and managed in accordance with strict safety and operational protocols. “Avgas is very volatile compared to jet fuel. It’s more of a gasoline, hence the name,” Dave informs us.
Witches’ hats cordon off the refuelling area around both truck and plane; an earth wire is run from tanker to aircraft to reduce possible build up of static electricity between the two – among the biggest safety issues in refuelling operations. Fuel quality is then tested yet again.
That’s why we have two Jet A-1 trucks, at least we have backup. We can’t really afford for an aircraft to not get fuel.
The volume of fuel required is communicated by the pilot – and can often change at the last minute.
Once fuel hoses are connected to the plane, the fuel is pumped at a rate ranging from 200 litres a minute for the Cessna up to 800 litres a minute for the A220. The Airbus receives around 5,500-6,000 litres across its three tanks – two on the wings and a third in the middle body.
Job done, paperwork completed and Shane heads back to base to prepare for the next arrival.
Dave says there’s contingencies for everything. “That’s why we have two Jet A-1 trucks, at least we have a backup. We can’t really afford for an aircraft to not get fuel,” he stresses.
“It just gives us enough. During holiday season we can – if, say, we’ve got a Brisbane or Sydney weather event – empty one of those with one plane.”
Off into the sunset
Dave, who now bases himself out of Airlie Beach, has a long-held connection with the Whitsundays spanning more than 33 years.
Shane Hall, Whitsunday Aviation Refuelling’s Depot Manager (pictured above on the left with Dave Lesage) is responsible for aircraft refuelling operations. Images: Matt Williams
Originally from Corowa, as a backpacker he met his wife on South Mole Island. They loved the place so much they got jobs at the bakery on Hamilton Island, delivering bread around the island.
“And they couldn’t keep refuellers over there and so I thought I’ll give that a crack,” he recalls.
What has ensued is a highly successful career that has taken him all around the state and the country. While he jokes about retirement, he concedes: “I just love the industry so fricking much, so it’s hard to walk away from.”
So long as it leaves time for his favourite pursuit – chasing his favourite fish, Sweetlip, in the deep holes in and around the island. As we leave him for our return home, he’s busy organising the transport of his boat over to the island for a summer of fishing.
And to continue to feel that warm, inner glow that comes with doing an unheralded but critically important job.
“When I’m out here [on the tarmac] and look at the families and the kids boarding a plane after refuelling, I realise the importance of my job – clean, safe fuel is critical to safety and ensuring they end up home safely,” he says.
Clean, safe fuel is critical to safety and ensuring [passengers] end up home safely.
