The bustling city of Melbourne, Australia, is known for its vibrant culture, stunning architecture, and well-planned urban landscape. While the city boasts one of the busiest airports in the country today, Melbourne Airport (MEL), Essendon Fields held the distinction of being the city’s main aviation hub before MEL took over the role of Melbourne’s primary airport.
The early days of Essendon Fields
The story of Essendon Fields traces back to the early 1920s when aviation was still in its infancy. The site was chosen due to its strategic location, situated just a few miles northwest of Melbourne’s city center.
In 1921, the airfield officially opened as Essendon Aerodrome, offering flight enthusiasts and pilots a place to gather and explore the wonders of the sky. It wasn’t long before the aerodrome began to play a crucial role in the growth of aviation in Australia.
A significant site
During its heyday, Essendon Fields was not just a local airport but a symbol of the nation’s progress in aviation. The airport hosted numerous historic figures, including Queen Elizabeth II and aviation pioneers Sir Charles Kingsford Smith and Alan Cobham, who landed his de Havilland DH.50 floatplane from England. Essendon Fields was also the location of Australia’s first parachute jump by a woman, 17-year-old Jean Burns, in 1937.
In February 1950, Essendon became Melbourne’s first – and Australia’s second – international airport. Renamed Melbourne Airport, it welcomed its inaugural international commercial flight from New Zealand a year later.
Following its internationalization, the airport witnessed the arrivals of The Beatles in 1964, and United States President Lyndon B. Johnson, whose Air Force One landed at the airport in 1967.
Transition to Tullamarine
Not long after becoming Melbourne Airport, the limitations of the site became increasingly evident. Due to its small size and housing developments around it, expansion was impractical, especially for accommodating larger jets like the Boeing 707, and the need for a larger, more modern airport became apparent.
In 1970, Tullamarine Airport opened its runways, and gradually, the aviation operations at Essendon Fields began to diminish.
Modern-day Essendon Fields
Today, Essendon Fields remains a crucial hub for general and corporate aviation, serving as a home base for Victoria’s emergency services air wings. Encompassing 305 hectares with two runways, the airport hosts a diverse range of facilities for international and domestic corporate aircraft, aircraft maintenance, airfreight, aircraft charter, and emergency air services. Collectively, these operations contribute to over 50,000 annual aircraft movements at the airport.
Photo: Essendon Fields
From its pioneering days in aviation to its transformation into a multi-faceted urban space, Essendon Fields encapsulates the spirit of progress and adaptation that defines the essence of Melbourne. As the city continues to evolve, the legacy of Essendon Fields stands as a reminder of the past, a celebration of the present, and an inspiration for the future.
Source: Essendon Fields