New Virgin Australia Boeing B737-8MAX VH-8VD First Visit into CQ at Mackay Airport - UPDATED!

On Friday 3 July, Virgin Australia Boeing B737-8MAX VH-8VD was noted making its first visit into Central Queensland at Mackay Airport. It operated as VOZ609/610 from and back to Brisbane.

Photo updated!

VH-8VD was delivered into Brisbane from the USA at the start of June.  It then entered service a week later on Monday 8 June.

The aircraft was named 'Fairhaven Beach' and is the 19th B737-8MAX delivered to Virgin Australia.

Nice!

Photo taken by Ryan Hothersall  ©

Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Boeing B737-8 MAX BBJ A62-001 "Envoy 62" at CQ Airports - Plus More!

On Monday 29 June, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Boeing B737-8 MAX BBJ A62-001 as "Envoy 62" landed at Hervey Bay (Fraser Coast) Airport from Canberra via Coffs Harbour on what appears to be a training flight.  It then departed to Hamilton Island Airport via overheard Emerald before later heading up to Townsville via airwork at Cairns.

File photo

UPDATE!  On Tuesday 30 June, A62-001 as "Envoy 62" arrived into Rockhampton Airport from Townsville and Proserpine (Whitsunday Coast) Airport before it later departed to the Gold Coast.

Meanwhile, also on Monday 29 June, Black Edge Aviation (Scone) Sikorsky UH-60A Black Hawk helicopter N274TH landed at Charleville Airport from Scone and before it then headed up towards Longreach Airport.

UPDATE!  On Tuesday 30 June, Black Hawk N274TH departed Longreach Airport for Mount Isa, Katherine and Darwin. 

It also seems that Kahu NZ Sikorsky EH-60A Black Hawk helicopter ZK-HKU flew North-West from Roma Airport also heading up towards the North of Australia.

Finally, on Sunday 28 June, Alliance Airlines Fokker F-100 VH-UQA as SXI2622 departed Brisbane for Darwin and then overseas eventually for scrapping.  

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Of interest, the final revenue service that VH-UQA looked to operate was on Tuesday 3 March into Rockhampton Airport from and back to Brisbane on behalf of Virgin Australia as VOZ1245/1248.

Photo taken by Jamie C  ©

New Virgin Australia Boeing B737-8MAX VH-8VF First Visit into CQ at Mackay Airport - UPDATED!

On Friday 26 June, Virgin Australia Boeing B737-8MAX VH-8VF was noted making its first visit into Central Queensland at Mackay Airport. It operated as VOZ601/604 from and back to Brisbane.

Photo updated!

VH-8VF was delivered into Brisbane from the USA only last weekend. It then entered service only two days ago on Wednesday 24 June.

The aircraft was named 'Binalong Bay' and is the 20th B737-8MAX delivered to Virgin Australia.

Nice!

Photo taken by Ryan Hothersall  ©

Virgin Australia Boeing B737-8MAX VH-8VE First Visit into CQ at Rockhampton Airport

On Thursday 4 June, Virgin Australia Boeing B737-8MAX VH-8VE was spotted making its first visit into Central Queensland at Rockhampton Airport.  It operated as VOZ1231/4 from and back to Brisbane.

VH-8VE was delivered into Brisbane from the USA on at the end of last month.  It only entered service yesterday on Wednesday 3 June.

The aircraft was named 'Kingscliff Beach' and is the 18th B737-8MAX delivered to Virgin Australia.

Nice!

Photo taken by Scott Harris  ©

Virgin Australia Boeing B737-8MAX VH-8VH First Visit into CQ at Mackay Airport

On Monday 25 May, Virgin Australia Boeing B737-8MAX VH-8VH was noted making its first visit into Central Queensland at Mackay Airport. It arrived as VOZ621 from to Brisbane. At the time of writing, it is due to return to Brisbane early on Tuesday 26 May as VOZ600.

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VH-8VH was delivered into Brisbane from the USA in on Saturday 9 May this year and entered service five days later. 

The aircraft was named 'Port Noarlunga' and is the 16th B737-8MAX delivered to Virgin Australia.

Of interest, on Friday 22 May, Virgin Australia B737-8MAX VH-8VI arrived into Brisbane Airport in a striking retro livery celebrating the airlines 150th B737 since it started as Virgin Blue in August 2000.  It entered service today on Monday 25 May and we await its first visit into CQ!

Nice!

Photos taken by Tony Haynes and Lloyd Fox  ©

Virgin Australia Boeing B737-800 VH-YFY Makes First Visit to CQ in Toy Story 5 Movie Livery at Mackay Airport - Plus More!

On Saturday 23 May, Virgin Australia Boeing B737-800 VH-YFY made its first visit into Central Queensland after recently returning from planning maintenance in Singapore and having a special livery livery applied to promote the upcoming Toy Story 5 movie.

It is pictured departing Brisbane and then touched down at Mackay Airport on the scheduled VOZ605/608 service from and then back to Brisbane.

Meanwhile, also on Saturday 23 May, Alliance Airlines Fokker F-70 VH-QQW visited Longreach Airport from Brisbane as UTY6420/1 for the Outback Opera.

And Jampair P/L (Navair Flight Operations) Embraer EMB-505 Phenom 300E bizjet VH-NSQ as "Navair 131" arrived into Bundaberg Airport from Bansktown.  It is due to return to Bankstown on Sunday 24 May.

Photos taken by Gareth Ruhe and Liam Sellick  ©

Virgin Australia Boeing B737-8MAX VH-8VG First Visit into CQ at Mackay Airport

On Thursday 30 April, Virgin Australia Boeing B737-8MAX VH-8VG was noted making its first visit into Central Queensland at Mackay Airport. It operated as VOZ613/6 from and back to Brisbane.

VH-8VG was delivered into Brisbane from the USA at the start of  March and entered service soon after arriving. The aircraft was named 'Peregian Beach' and is the 15th B737-8MAX delivered to Virgin Australia.

Nice!

File photo taken by Tony Haynes  ©

Virgin Australia Boeing B737-8MAX VH-8VB First Visit into CQ at Mackay Airport

On Saturday 25 April, Virgin Australia Boeing B737-8MAX VH-8VB was finally noted making its first visit into Central Queensland at Mackay Airport.  It arrived as VOZ613 from to Brisbane.  At the time of writing, it is due to return to Brisbane early on Sunday 26 April as VOZ600.

VH-8VB was delivered into Brisbane from the USA in mid-September last year and entered service soon after arriving.  It seems to have spent the majority of its time operating out of Perth in Western Australia.

The aircraft was named 'Tamar River' and is the 13th B737-8MAX delivered to Virgin Australia.

Nice!

File photo taken by Tony Haynes  ©

Virgin Australia Boeing B737 MAX 8 VH-8IG Makes First Visit into Central Queensland at Mackay Airport

On Monday 16 March, Virgin Australia Boeing B737-8MAX VH-8IG was noted making its first visit into Central Queensland at Mackay Airport. It operated the VOZ601/4 service from and back to Brisbane.

VH-8IG was delivered into Brisbane from the USA at the end of June in 2024 before then entering service at the start of the next month. The aircraft was named 'Whitehaven Beach' and is the 6th B737-8MAX delivered to Virgin Australia.

Nice!

File photo taken by Ryan Hothersall  ©

Virgin Australia Boeing B737 MAX 8 VH-8IJ Makes First Visit into Central Queensland at Mackay Airport

On Saturday 14 March, Virgin Australia Boeing B737-8MAX VH-8IJ was noted making its first visit into Central Queensland at Mackay Airport. It operated the VOZ605/8 service from and back to Brisbane.

VH-8IJ was delivered into Brisbane from the USA in early August 2025 before then entering service under a week after being delivered. The aircraft was named 'Cape Tribulation' and is the 10th B737-8MAX delivered to Virgin Australia.

Nice!

File photo taken by Dylan Hardie  ©

Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency of Honiara, Solomon Islands, Beech B200 King Air N280RA Pops into Rockhampton Airport - Plus More!

On Monday 16 February, Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency of Honiara, Solomon Islands, Beech B200 King Air N280RA arrived into Rockhampton Airport from the Gold Coast.  It then departed to Cairns.

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It seems N280RA had earlier departed from Bankstown.

While S. Kidman & Co. Pilatus PC-12/47E NGX VH-SKW landed at Longreach Airport from Archerfield and then departed to Tenant Creek.

Seair Pacific / Istlecote Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX VH-MIF flew up from Hervey Bay (Fraser Coast) Airport to Middlemount Aerodrome before then flying down to Rockhampton Airport and then back to Hervey Bay Airport. 

And Bowenville based (operated by Real Time Aviation - Brisbane) Cessna 525 CitationJet CJ1+ bizjet VH-JSZ visited my local Clermont Aerodrome from Archerfield and Dalby.

Meanwhile, also on Monday 16 February, Virgin Australia Boeing B737-800 VH-YFF as VOZ605 from Brisbane to Mackay Airport made a missed approach at Mackay Airport before then flying down and landing at Rockhampton Airport.  It has been reported that the diversion was due to a technical problem and at the time of writing, VH-YFF remains parked at Rockhampton Airport.

UPDATE!  On Tuesday 17 February, VH-YFF departed Rockhampton Airport for Brisbane as VOZ9904.

And Qantas Airways Boeing B737-800 VH-VZP as QFA578 from Sydney to Hamilton Island Airport and diverted into Rockhampton Airport but due to adverse weather up in the Whitsundays.  After taking on fuel, VH-VZP departed Rockhampton Airport and successfully landed at Hamilton Island Airport.

Finally, over the weekend, it was noted that the aircraft used for the skydiving out of Lakeside Airpark was swapped over with Sydney Skydivers Pacific Aerospace PAC 750XL VH-XLC noted operating and then departing to Caloundra while the usual Cessna 208B Supervan 900 Skydiving Aircraft VH-XLF returned to Lakeside Airpark late in the day from Bankstown via Caloundra.

And up at the Whitsunday Airport at Shute Harbour, Skydive the Beach Group Cessna 208 Caravan VH-DNK flew down from Cairns and Tully to temporarily replace fellow Cessna 208 Caravan VH-LVN which flew up to Mareeba.

UPDATE!  By the end of the next week, VH-LVN was back at Shute Harbour and VH-DNK was back at Cairns!

Photo taken by Brodie Lawson  ©

QantasLink (National Jet Systems) Airbus A220-300 VH-X4G First Visit of Type to Rockhampton Airport BUT on a Diversion from Hamilton Island Airport - Plus More!

On Thursday 15 January, poor weather over the Whitsundays saw QantasLink (National Jet Systems) Airbus A220-300 VH-X4G operating as QLK1592 from Brisbane to Hamilton Island Airport unable to land at Hamo and divert into Rockhampton Airport.

This is the first time that an Airbus A220 has landed at Rockhampton Airport.

After taking on fuel, the A220 was unable to continue to Hamilton Island and instead re-positioned back to Brisbane as QLK7801. 

And a little later, Virgin Australia Boeing B737-800 VH-YIQ as VOZ1283 from Sydney to Hamilton Island Airport was also unable to land up there and also diverted into Rockhampton Airport.

VH-YIQ departed Rocky and was able to land at Hamilton Island Airport before it then returned down to Sydney as VOZ1282.

Meanwhile, also on Thursday 15 January, Homada Pty Ltd Cessna 560XL Citation XLS bizjet VH-XCU flew up from Melbourne (Moorabbin) and Melbourne (Essendon) to Hamilton Island Airport.

UPDATE!  On Friday 16 January, VH-XCU departed Hamilton Island Airport and returned to Essendon and then Moorabbin.

Pilatus Australia (South Australia) Pilatus PC-24 Super Versatile Jet VH-DMS looked to depart Hamilton Island Airport for Mackay Airport and then down to Cessnock.

Late in the day, Avcair LearJet 60 bizjet VH-AVL visited Mackay Airport from Brisbane.

While FlyPelican (Pelican Airlines) British Aerospace BAe Jetstream 3206 (Jetstream 32) turboprop aircraft VH-ACV completed the Fly-in Fly-out (FIFO) charter flight into Emerald Airport from Archerfield and Toowoomba-Wellcamp.  It also completed a similar flight late on Wednesday 14 January.

And LifeFlight Agusta Westland AW139 helicopter VH-XIA flying as "Rescue 599" departed Mackay Airport for Gladstone Airport and Archerfield.  It had flown up last Saturday 10 January.

Photo taken by 'AC'  ©

Re-painted and Due for Scrapping - Virgin Australia Boeing B737-800 VH-VUG Calls into Mackay Airport - Plus More!

On Thursday 18 December, Virgin Australia Boeing B737-800 VH-VUG completed a run to Mackay Airport from and back to Brisbane as VOZ601/4.  As shown, VH-VUG has had its titles and livery mostly removed with reports suggesting that it is approaching the end of its lease and that it will leave Australia for good in the coming weeks.

VH-VUG had spent a few days in the paint-shop up at Townsville and emerged from there and re-entered service at the start of this week and will continue to operate during the Summer period 'rush'.

UPDATE!  On Tuesday 20 January, VH-VUG departed Brisbane for Nadi, Fiji on the first leg of its final flight to storage and ultimately breaking up in the USA.

Meanwhile, also on Thursday 18 December, Jampair P/L (Navair Flight Operations) Embraer EMB-505 Phenom 300E bizjet VH-NSQ as "Navair 131" flew across from Moranbah Airport to Mackay Airport before then flying down to Brisbane and Bankstown. It appears to have arrived into Moranbah Airport early the previous day from Bankstown.

Bowenville based (operated by Real Time Aviation - Brisbane) Cessna 525 CitationJet CJ1+ bizjet VH-JSZ arrived into Rockhampton Airport from Archerfield and Natal Downs.

UPDATE!  On Friday 19 December, VH-JSZ departed Rockhampton Airport for Archerfield.

Falcon Air (NSW) Cirrus Design Corp. SF50 Vision Jet VH-LCR popped into Roma Airport while flying up from Bankstown to Cairns (pictured).

UPDATE!  On Monday 22 December, VH-LCR flew down from Cairns to Bankstown, again via Roma Airport.

While Mandalay Two P/L Raytheon B300 Super King Air VH-SCQ visited Rockhampton Airport from Brisbane.

And Koolardie Aviation (ZephAir Australia) Raytheon 58 Baron VH-NSM as 'ZD550' visited Proserpine (Whitsunday Coast) Airport from Townsville.

Photos taken by Dylan Hardie and Jonathan Williams  ©

New Virgin Australia Boeing B737-8MAX VH-8VC First Visit into CQ at Mackay Airport

On Saturday 18 October, Virgin Australia Boeing B737-8MAX VH-8VC was noted making its first visit into Central Queensland at Mackay Airport. It operated as VOZ609/610 from and back to Brisbane.

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VH-8VC was delivered into Brisbane from the USA on Wednesday 1 October as VOZ9947.  It then entered service a week later on Wednesday 8 October.

The aircraft was named 'Torquay Beach' and is the 14th and final B737-8MAX delivered to Virgin Australia.

Nice!

Photo taken by Lloyd Fox  ©

Virgin Australia Boeing B737-8MAX VH-8IK First Visit into CQ at Mackay Airport

Late on Monday 6 October, Virgin Australia Boeing B737-8MAX VH-8IK was noted making its first visit into Central Queensland arriving into Mackay Airport as VOZ615 from Brisbane.

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After staying for the night, on Tuesday 7 October, VH-8IK then departed back to Brisbane as VOZ600.

VH-8IK was delivered into Brisbane from the USA on in late August 2024 before entering service only days later.  The aircraft was named 'Hutt Lagoon' and is the 11th B737-8MAX delivered to Virgin Australia.

Nice!

Photo taken by Tony Haynes  ©

New Virgin Australia Boeing B737-8MAX VH-8VA First Visit into CQ at Rockhampton Airport

On Monday 22 September, Virgin Australia Boeing B737-8MAX VH-8VA was noted making its first visit into Central Queensland at Rockhampton Airport.  It operated as VOZ1231/4 from and back to Brisbane.

VH-8VA was delivered into Brisbane from the USA on Tuesday 26 August as VOZ9947.  It then entered service on Saturday 6 September.

The aircraft was named 'Port Stephens' and is the 12th B737-8MAX delivered to Virgin Australia.

Nice!

All photos taken by Dylan Hardie  ©

Virgin Australia Boeing B737 MAX 8 VH-8II Makes First Visit into Central Queensland at Mackay Airport

Late on Wednesday 27 August, Virgin Australia Boeing B737-8MAX VH-8II was noted making its first visit into Central Queensland at Mackay Airport. It operated the VOZ621 service from Brisbane.  After staying for the night, it then flew as VOZ600 early on Thursday 28 August back to Brisbane.

VH-8II was delivered into Brisbane from the USA in early August 2025 before then entering service under a week after being delivered. The aircraft was named 'Aldinga Beach' and is the 9th B737-8MAX delivered to Virgin Australia.

Nice!

File photo taken by Tony Haynes  ©

Virgin Australia Boeing B737-8MAX VH-8IF First Visit into Central Queensland at Mackay Airport

On Friday 8 August, Virgin Australia Boeing B737-8MAX VH-8IF was noted making its first visit into Central Queensland at Mackay Airport. It operated the early morning VOZ601/4 service from and back to Brisbane.

VH-8IF was delivered into Brisbane from the USA on in mid-May 2024 before entering service only days after being delivered. The aircraft was named 'Maroochydore Beach' and is the 6th B737-8MAX delivered to Virgin Australia.

Nice!

File photo taken by Tony Haynes  ©

Virgin Australia Boeing B737-8MAX VH-8IC First Visit into Central Queensland at Rockhampton Airport

On Monday 4 August, Virgin Australia Boeing B737-8MAX VH-8IC was noted making its first visit into Central Queensland at Rockhampton Airport. It operated the early morning VOZ1231/4 service from and back to Brisbane.

VH-8IC was delivered into Brisbane from the USA in late September 2023 before entering service only days after being delivered. The aircraft was named 'Kirra Beach' and is the 2nd B737-8MAX delivered to Virgin Australia.

Nice!

File photo taken by Tony Haynes  ©

Virgin Australia Boeing B737 MAX 8 VH-8IA Makes First Visit into Central Queensland at Mackay Airport

On Thursday 31 July, Virgin Australia Boeing B737-8MAX VH-8IA was noted making its first visit into Central Queensland at Mackay Airport. It operated the VOZ613/6 service from and back to Brisbane.

VH-8IA was delivered into Brisbane from the USA in late June 2023 before then entering service just over a week after being delivered. The aircraft was named 'Monkey Mia' and is the 1st B737-8MAX delivered to Virgin Australia.

Nice!

File photo taken by Tony Haynes  ©