Fishermen's Bend Aerodrome

Aerial view of the Fishermans Bend aerodrome c. 1954

Fishermen's Bend Aerodrome was located at Fishermen's Bend, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia between 1921 and 1967.

An aerodrome at Fisherman's Bend was mentioned in reportage of an air disaster in 1921. ^[1]

Beginning in 1940, the aerodrome served the Australian Government's Government Aircraft Factories and the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation plants. It was a prominent facility during the Second World War but the value of locating such a facility so close to the city, industry and shipping was called into question soon after the end of the war. In 1947 W. McIlroy, Secretary for Lands, wrote to Premier Thomas Hollway indicating that, in his opinion, it was time to cease prevarication between the Commonwealth (which continued to push to extend what was now referred to as the 'Landing and Testing Field' at Fishermens Bend) and State authorities. McIlroy wrote:

The existing facilities would appear to be ample for testing all classes of machines in a lightly loaded condition while the use of this field for heavily loaded aircraft would be most undesirable and dangerous in view of the close proximity of the field to the big industrial undertakings adjoining, the shipping lanes which flank the field on the northern and western sides and the shipping docks which are to be erected at an early date on the southern side of Williamstown Road. Could not Laverton be used for this purpose where the runways are practically unlimited? ^[2]

The Laverton Air Base, RAAF Williams, had been operative since 1925. Avalon Airport was opened in 1953, to cater for the production of jet military aircraft. ^[3]

In 1959, James Grant of Grant's Helicopters wrote to the Minister for Lands, K. H. Turnbull, applying to lease 'some available block of between ten and twenty acres on Fishermens Bend for the purposes of a helicopter port and training school.' Grant had learned that 'some 114 acres of Fishermen's Bend is now available for leasing, being no longer required by the Department of Supply of the Commonwealth Aircraft Corp.' ^[4] It appears this request was not successful. At least one of the runways of the Fishermen's Bend Aerodrome were still in use in 1967, leased to the Department of Supply which 'conducted flying operations from it'. A charter operator, Jack Ellis of City Centre Air Taxis, was hopeful of running country air services to and from the facility. However, a portion of the airstrip was on land required for what was to become the Westgate Freeway, and Rupert Hamer, Minister for Local Government,resisted calls to keep the airstrip open. ^[5] In a photograph of the partially-collapsed bridge published in Westgate Bridge, Melbourne, a promotional publication dating from approximately 1972, the remnants of the airstrip are still visible. ^[6]

Motorsport

The airfield was used for motorcycle races in August 1948 then cars from 1949. It hosted events counting towards the Australian Drivers' Championship in both 1958 ^[7] and 1959. ^[8] and races were held at the circuit until at least 1960. ^{[9] [10]}

Subsequently the airstrip was used for organised drag racing until 1966 ^[11] at which time AA class fuellers raced along with funny cars in times approaching 10 secs for the 1/4 mile track.

The site today

Much of the land on which the Aerodrome was located is now the site of Westgate Park. Todd Road is essentially to the alignment of the north-south runway.

Notes

1. 'The Aviation Tragedy' Melbourne Age 24 May 1921 p. 6
2. W. McIlroy, letter to 'The Hon. the Premier', 4 February 1947 in 'Port Melbourne. Landing & Testing Ground, Fisherman's [sic] Bend' File M1962 Public Records Office, Victoria
3. "Avalon Hangar Conversion for Qantas? Skybed Fit-Out Adds to Meinhardt Aviation Portfolio" (Press release). Meinhardt. 10 December 2003. Archived from the original on 29 August 2007. Retrieved 18 December 2007.
4. J. Grant, letter to K. H. Turnbull, 16 October 1959 in File G62358, Public Records Office Victoria
5. 'Airstrip wrangle for Cabin: Hamer to meet deputation' Melbourne Age 20 May 1967 p. 3; 'Bid to save airport', Melbourne Age 17 May 1967 p. 19
6. Lower Yarra Crossing Authority, Westgate Bridge, Melbourne The Authority, Melbourne, no date, no page numbers
7. Victorian Trophy Race, Fishermen's Bend, 23 February 1959, Australian Motor Sports Review 1958–59, page 41
8. 1959 C.A.M.S. Gold Star Points Scores, Australian Motor Sports Review 1958–59, page 82
9. Fisherman's Bend Races – Stillwell wins 1960 Victorian Trophy Race – 13–14 February, Australian Motor Sports, March 1960, page 97
10. Open Road Races – Fisherman's Bend – 29–30 October, Australian Motor Sports, Dec. 1960 – Jan. 1961, pages 598 & 599
11. Len Shaw, 'The Seven-Second Thrill' Melbourne Age 8 June 1968 p. 16

References

• Dennis, Peter; Grey, Jeffrey; Morris, Ewan; and Robin Prior (1995). The Oxford Companion to Australian Military History. Melbourne: Oxford University Press. ISBN   0-19-553227-9.