MOORABBIN (HARRY HAWKER) AIRPORT
Moorabbin (Harry Hawker) Airport is a general aviation airport for light aircraft located in between the southern Melbourne suburbs of Heatherton, Cheltenham, Dingley Village and Mentone. The airport grounds are treated as their own suburb. With over 295,000 aircraft movements annually, Moorabbin Airport is the second busiest airport in Australia.
Originally the intent was to name the airport "Mentone" but this was abandoned after a potential clash with the then French airport in Menton. Similarly, Cheltenham was discarded due to similarities to the Gloucestershire Airport near Cheltenham in South West England. The name comes from the nearby (but not neighboring) suburb of Moorabbin.
HISTORY
The airport was planned in 1946 as a result of the government's effort to solve the crisis of vegetable shortage in Melbourne. Mentone area was the site of the state's largest agricultural farmlands where most of the vegetable supply in Melbourne came from. During the vegetable shortage, the government purchased 293 acres of the farmlands to build an airport to facilitate the transportation of farm produce to Melbourne.
Harry George Hawker. An Australian pioneer aviator, Aircraft Designer, Engineer and Test Pilot, was born in Moorabbin on 22 January 1889. Harry became one of the world's greatest aviators.
After more than 25 years of lobbying from the Moorabbin Council, the Aviation Historical Society, Tom Sheehy, together with Hawker family members including Harry's nephews Bob Chamberlain, Harry (Jim) Hawker, Moorabbin Airport was renamed to Moorabbin (Harry Hawker) Airport on 22 January, 1989.
(Photo Courtesy of en.wikipedia.org)
THE AIRPORT TODAY
Training is a significant component of aviation operations with two thirds of out movements recorded from over a dozen flying schools.
Other aviation uses include aircraft maintenance, air charter, freight, recreational flying and air work, such as aerial photography and surveying, as well as emergency services such as the Royal Flying Doctors and Air Ambulance Services.
Across the 294-hectare site, Moorabbin Airport is home to 16 flight training organisations, charter, rotary and aerial firefighting operations. Importantly, the airport supports a range of advanced technical and general aviation maintenance organisations servicing local and visiting aircraft.
The airport is home base to Regular Passenger Transport operator, King Island Airlines, which links King Island to the mainland with daily flights.
NOTE
Moorabbin Airport Management permits the use of the Public Carpark for parking your car.
You are welcome to take a photo of the Flight Control Tower.
There are no proximity restrictions to do so.
PARKING - Large free Public Carpark opposite GZ. Do not park on the street.
CRITERIA FOR LOGGING
1. Take a photo of the Flight Control Tower including either yourself, your caching name on paper or personal item.
2. Attach the photo to your log.
3. Log a find immediately with no need to further contact the CO for permission. (Do not send me an email or message)
Virtual Rewards 3.0 - 2022-2023
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between March 1, 2022 and March 1, 2023. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 3.0 on the Geocaching Blog.