About Mackay Airport

Community Battle wins airport local ownership.

Local ownership of Mackay airport and its subsequent upgrading almost did not happen after the Federal Government changed its mind in 1989.

Mackay Port Authority in 1984 had received a formal invitation from the Department of Aviation to consider ownership of the airport, after Mackay City Council rejected a similar approach.

It was negotiating on the scope of pre-transfer works when it was advised on August, 23rd 1988 that the airport would be transferred to the Federal Airports Corporation.

The decision brought an angry reaction from the Mackay community and many months of confusion before the government changed its mind and transferred ownership to the Port Authority on October 4, 1989.

Port Authority chairman at the time, Mr Edgar Cliffe, and the then Mayor, Ald Peter Jardine, negotiated with Federal Government Ministers and won agreement for the transfer to the authority.

Port Authority chairman from 1989 to 2000 Mr Ron Searle said that the 1988 decision sparked an angry civil reaction in Mackay, and resulted in the formation of the Mackay Airport Action Group.

Mr Searle, who was chairman of the Chamber of Commerce at the time, said he called a joint meeting of the Chamber, the Mackay Regional Development Bureau, Tourism Mackay and the Port Authority which formed the group to foster local ownership of the airport.

“We had a long battle with two Federal Ministers because they said the airport was going to the Federal Airports Corporation.

If it went to the FAC the Mackay airport would have had a very low priority for upgrading - below that of Tennant Creek.” Mr Searle said.

“Eventually, after a lot of negotiation, we won it.”

Mr Searle paid tribute to the role of former Port Authority Chairman, Mr Cliffe, and the former Board who he said had faced many months of hard bargaining to win over the Federal Government Ministers."

Airport Site Selected in 1927

The first moves to establish Mackay's airport started in 1927.

Captain Ron Adair selected the former town common - now the airport - as the site for a an aerodrome in 1927.

Capt. Adair landed the first aeroplane at the airport - his own Avro biplane.

Then Council alderman, Ian Wood, was at the forefront of a push to have the town common developed as an aerodrome.

The council resolved at a meeting on February 13, 1930 to apply for portions of the land to be excised from the town common for aviation purposes."

The application was approved on March 13, 1930 and an airport licence issued by the controller of of civil aviation on March 9, 1931.

Commercial services started with the arrival of the three engined Fokker Star of Cairns in 1930.

In 1931 Mr Wood was elected Mayor and that same year officiated at the opening of Mackay Airport.

During the early years when only grass strips existed, aircraft such as Dragon Rapides, Dragon Flies, Gypsy Moths, Puss Moths, Avro Abins and Stinsons were among the types of aircraft rapidly becoming a common sight at the aerodrome.

In September, 1938, the first air show was held with 10 aircraft, It attracted 8000 spectators.

The first major development of the aerodrome started in 1940 when the Commonwealth (Federal Government) extended its area and constructed unsealed gravel runways for its war-time use, first as an advanced operational base and later as an aerodrome on the line of communication to New Guinea.

In 1948 the main runway was extended and in 1958 it was reconstructed and strengthened.

The Commonwealth took over the operation of the airport from Mackay City Council in 1941.

The Commonwealth built the passenger terminal building , now phased out by the new terminal, in 1953.

Mackay Man felt like a Bank Manager…

A Mackay man can remember feeling “like a bank manager” after being paid 30 shillings ($3) to watch over the first aeroplane to land on the site of what is now the Mackay Airport.

Mr Bill Manzelmann, said he was 11 when Captain Ron Adair in 1927 landed the first aeroplane - an Avro biplane - at the Town common which later became the airport.

Airport licence was issued for the site on March 9 1931.

At the time Mr Manzelmann lived with his five borhers and three sisters at Milton Street, in one of the only about half a dozen residences in that area.

“I saw this plane land. I went over and the pilot asked was there anyone who would look after it for the night. I said I would look after it. I went and asked my dad, he said ‘If you want to ’. I got a couple of bags and my dog and slept with the plane. The pilot paid me 30 bob in the morning , and I remember saying to someone “ I'm a bank manager”. because that was a lot of money in those days."

Mr Manzellman said the Town Common near his family's home at Milton Street was his playground as a young boy.

“We would play there all the time, I knew the whole place, we'd often wag school there”

His family kept cows on there, and he remember being paid sixpence (five cents) to caddy for golfers who used it as the town's first golf course in the early 1920's…