After discovering that members had used the airport for tourism, business, and flying lessons, Paul described how it is Australia’s leading general aviation flight training airport. It is home to a range of aviation activities including flight training, flight charter, aviation maintenance, general and recreation aviation operations.

He described the structure and the use of the runways, and the industrial, retail and training facilities, and the sustainability programme, all of which he oversees.

The airport has a thriving non-aviation commercial centre with a diverse offering of retail options, including Kingston Central Plaza and the Direct Factory Outlet which provide employment for 6,500 local residents. The airport grounds are treated as their own suburb, and share the postcode 3194 with the neighbouring suburb of Mentone. With a total of 274,082 aircraft movements, Moorabbin Airport is one of the busiest airports in Australia. Although there is no curfew at the airport, most flights occur during daylight hours.  

Chifley Business Park is an architecturally designed campus-style business park located on the north and south-eastern precincts. The site features contemporary and sustainable industrial facilities, commercial office spaces and an onsite childcare centre.

Moorabbin Airport  is on Commonwealth land, leased to  Goodman, a publicly listed property group with operations throughout Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Europe, the United Kingdom, and the Americas. 

After Paul’s talk, we adjourned to the barbecue area, where Vincent Chen and his team had hamburgers prepared for our lunch. Members took the opportunity to ask Paul further questions about the running of the Airport: e.g. Simon O’Donoghue was interested in the ownership and leasing arrangements at the Airport. 

Photos: Vincent Chen displayed that the qualities of being Vocational Service Chairman required him to be a good cook, while Henry and Jane Drury took care of the quality control.

We then moved on to the Moorabbin Air Museum, which has one of the most significant collections of aircraft and engines in Australia. It provides public access to a number of aircraft on display and allows visitors to interact and to experience life as a Military, Naval or Civilian pilot. 

Founded in 1962 and run by a dedicated group of volunteers and members, the Museum has expanded to have a collection of not just aircraft and engines, but models, uniforms and many other artefacts associated with Australia's amazing aviation history. The Museum's mission is collect, preserve and display aircraft and artefacts associated with Australian Aviation Heritage, and to educate and inspire future generations of the pathways in aviation. 

The collection includes a number of rare and unique examples of Australian made aircraft, including the oldest surviving Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC) aircraft - Wirraway A20-10; a Victa AirTourer and a DAP Mk21 Beaufighter, one of only two Australian made variants left in the country and the only Beaufighter left in the world capable of ground running. The Museum also owns the oldest surviving DAP / Bristol Beaufort which is now part of an ongoing restoration project.

Photos: Denbigh Richards and President Doug McLean discussed the Tiger Moth, but Noel Halford and Ian Bentley were on the money with the Beaufighter, valued at around three million dollars.  Geoff Wright rather fancied a job as a Boeing 737 pilot.

Today the Moorabbin Air Museum, now attracts visitors from all over the world. Each year busloads of wide eyed school children come to learn about the magic of flight and Australia’s part in the development of aviation. All of this started with a vague idea, a determination largely borne in ignorance of the enormous difficulties that would present themselves and most importantly the museum members, past and present, who could not bear to stand and watch the great planes die.

The Museum also has a shop and kiosk facility where you can purchase drinks, snacks, and pick up a book, poster, model kit or complete aircraft model for your collection. 

You can read more about the history of the Moorabbin Aircraft Museum HERE

See photos of our Vocational Visit to Moorabbin Airport HERE