From its beginnings in 1921 the Department was charged with the responsibility for providing landing grounds along the major air routes. Over the years, the Department established, owned and maintained nearly every licenced airport and aerodrome in the country until, in the 1980s, the Aerodrome Local Ownership Plan and other airport disposal schemes saw the Department divest itself of the ownership of almost all aerodromes and airports.
This page provides links to information about the Department's involvement with airports and aerodromes.
Consult a list of Unit and equipment acronyms used on this site
Read about The
Early Days of Civil Aerodromes
Photos of early Aerodrome Site Selection - 1921
See a strip map of the Melbourne-Adelaide air route, including aerodrome diagrams - 1939
Perth/Maylands
- photo of the WAA hangar flooded - 1926
- WAA's, later ANA's, historic Hangar No 1 - 1931 & 1976
- aerial photos from just before the aerodrome closed - 1961
Perth/Guildford
Sydney/Mascot (Kingsford Smith)
- Mascot Aerodrome as it was Experienced by Neville Watson
- aerial photo - c.1930
- aerial
view - June
1958
Adelaide/Parafield
- Operations-Administration Building & Control Tower - 1940s, 1960s, 2008
- superb aerial photos - 1948 & 1965
Adelaide/West Beach
- photo of the old passenger terminal building and Control Tower, c. late 1960s
- passenger terminal just before demolition - 2008
Hobart/Cambridge
Melbourne/Essendon
- the development of Essendon Airport
- the 'Government Hangar' c.1930s
- the ATC complex - c. early 1950s
- the special International Terminal for the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games
- charts showing the airport layout in 1960 & 1968
- aerial photos - c.1930, 1963, 2004, 2007
- aerial view of the DCA apron and hangars - 1973
- then & now panorama views
Melbourne (Tullamarine) Airport
- Aerial photo mosaic showing Essendon, and Tullamarine under construction - 1967
- RAAF
aircraft at Melbourne/Tullamarine - 1971
- runway widening - 2005
Melbourne/Moorabbin
< Download a short history of Moorabbin Airport & Control Tower by clicking on the icon at left. (260 KB .pdf file)
Brisbane/Archerfield
- aerial photos - 1931
- 'then & now' - c. mid-1930s/2006
- aerial
photos - 1965; Pages 1 & 2
- photo
of the Ops-Admin Building
c.late 1960s
- views of the Control Tower cab - 1974
- aerodrome diagram - 1974
- 'then & now' - overviews from 1965 & 2006
- historic buildings - 2006
Brisbane Airport
- aerial photos - 2005
Ceduna
- aerial colour photo - c.1955
Charleville
- aerial photos - 2001
Cloncurry
- passenger terminal c.early 1960s
- Aeradio building & historic Qantas hangar - 1940
- the same building as the passenger terminal - 1974
- new passenger terminal - 2001
Cootamundra
- photo of the aerodrome c.1960s
Devonport
- Control Tower and passenger terminal - 1965
Dubbo
- aerial photo - 2007
Fitzroy Crossing
- photos and diagram - 1972
Forrest
- photos of showing the historic hangar and hostel - 1972 & 2009
Karratha
- overviews - mid-1980s
Longreach
- photos of the first runway strips laid anywhere in Australia- 1925
Mackay
- Control Tower and passenger terminal - 1960s
Mangalore
Port Lincoln
- aerodrome layout - 1968
- passenger terminal - c. late 1960s
Quirindi
- photos from the opening of the aerodrome -1957
Wynyard
- the unique railway crossing - 1971
Karumba
- tour the Flying Boat Base - 1938
Rose Bay
- opening - Aug 1938
- more photos - 1939
- aerial photos - c.1942-43, c.1950
- DCA Control Launch C.A.15 - 1969
Drawing
of Aerodrome Ground Markings
-1928
The Signal Square
The more modern Signal Area
Photo of a typical Rotating Aerodrome
Beacon
Photo of a typical Illuminated Wind Indicator
The Calvert Cross Bar Approach Lighting System
Spraying runway markings - 1959
DCA Control Launch C.A.15 - 1969
Aerial photo showing typical Precision Approach Runway markings - Brisbane 2007
Photo of the ubiquitous Airport Safety Officer and vehicle - 1984
Photos of and information about a Linesman at work splicing a cable - 2007
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