Tourism Western Australia welcomed 60 travel agents and media this week to celebrate the launch of Qantas’ inaugural direct flights linking Newcastle and Perth / Boorloo.
Operated by QantasLink, the new service takes off on Monday, 8 September 2025 and will operate three times a week — Mondays, Fridays and Sundays. Flights depart Newcastle at 2.20pm on Mondays and Sundays, and 2.45pm on Fridays, with a journey time of around five hours.
Return services from Perth depart at 7.20am on Mondays and Sundays, and 7.45am on Fridays, with a shorter flying time of 4 hours and 10 minutes.
The new route also unlocks seamless international connections for Newcastle passengers, with one-stop access to London, Paris and Rome.
At the celebration dinner, Tourism WA Trade Account Manager at The Walshe Group, Christine Poole, and Tourism WA Markets Manager, Chiara Dichiera, highlighted the breadth of experiences awaiting visitors across the State’s five diverse regions. Updates included new hotel openings, refurbishments, and cultural attractions designed to enhance WA’s visitor offering.
Guests enjoyed canapés and a signature ‘Sunset Coast Spritz’ cocktail crafted with Giniversity gin, followed by a two-course dinner paired with premium wines from Margaret River and the Great Southern.
A Quokka, Rottnest Island Perth.
Christine Poole said the new service was a “game-changer” for the Hunter region.
“In just over five hours, visitors can now step off the plane and immerse themselves in the very best of Western Australia — from the laid-back cultural vibrancy of Perth to the stunning diversity of our regions,” she said.
“We were thrilled to connect with our valued travel trade partners and look forward to inspiring more travellers to discover all that Western Australia has to offer.”
With the new direct link, Qantas and Tourism WA are confident more travellers from New South Wales will be enticed westward to experience WA’s beaches, wine regions, wildlife encounters, and world-class cultural experiences.
Tourism Western Australia
Images courtesy of Tourism WA.
