Mount Gambier Airport

The original Mount Gambier aerodrome was established when Mr H.S. (Stan) May and Mr S.C. Davis purchased land directly opposite the present airport on the Riddoch Highway. An aerodrome was established and basic infrastructure provided with the aerodrome officially opened on 21 May 1930. Scheduled airline services to Adelaide and Melbourne began the same year. The aerodrome owners then purchased 82 hectares of land that was part of 'Croyle Estate' and then another 66 hectares of the same property on 2 June 1936. This site is where the airport is today. A licence was granted by the then-Civil Aviation Branch of the Department of Defence on 1 July 1936 and the new airport began hosting regular public transport flights.

In July 1939, the Federal Government purchased the aerodrome from its civilian owners and commenced the construction of a Royal Australian Air Force base which was to house the No. 2 Air Observers School (2AOS). It was officially formed on 6 February 1941 and the first intake of trainees began on 6 March 1941.

The school had its own ambulance, hospital, butcher, gymnasium and even cinema and at its peak was home to over 1000 personnel. It was eventually disbanded in January 1946 after training over 4000 Air Observers, Navigators and Wireless Operators, of which many served with RAF Bomber Command over Germany, Atlantic Ocean, the Middle East and South East Asia. 2AOS also conducted coastal surveillance operations in the South East of South Australia, reporting a number of submarine sightings.

On 29 May 1947, the airport was handed over to the Department of Civil Aviation and this saw the return of regular public transport flights to the region with Ansett Airways announcing that a daily service would operate between Mount Gambier and Melbourne. In July 1947, the Mount Gambier Gliding Club was formed and over the next 40 years the airport continued to prosper as a critical port for flights from Adelaide and Melbourne.^[4]

In 2011, it was announced that Mount Gambier Airport would be upgraded under a $3.4 million program. This project was partly funded by the Government of South Australia who awarded a $500,000 infrastructure grant with the balance coming from the airport's reserve fund. The upgrade, part of a 15-year redevelopment plan, will strengthen the main runway, aprons and taxiways, to enable larger aircraft to operate to the airport and help increase the area's tourism appeal.^[5]

A further more substantial upgrade was unveiled in July 2019 which included replacement of the existing terminal with a new modern and larger facility, with the ability to implement future security screening. Construction commenced in November 2019 and was completed in early 2021. The $9.2M upgrade project was jointly funded by the Australian Government through the Building Better Regions Fund in partnership with the South Australian State Government. The City of Mount Gambier also supported the Airport upgrade with a financial contribution.

As well as the new $6.2m terminal, the upgrade also includes an extension of 120 metres to the main runway to service larger aircraft, a brand new heavy aircraft apron to house a larger contingent of fire bombers and other heavy aircraft and the entire airport precinct has had a full electrical upgrade from the previous 1950s system.^[6]

The defunct airline Ansett Airways formerly operated scheduled domestic services with routes to Adelaide and Melbourne before being placed into administration in 2001.

In 2014, Adelaide-based company Aerostar Aviation announced they would open a flight training school utilising existing infrastructure. The facility will include 1 full-time flight instructor and a Cessna 172. It had been 15 years since the airport had been able to offer flight training, since the closure of the O'Connor Airlines training facility in 1999.^[7]

In 2008, Mount Gambier businessman Adrian deBruin formed air charter company deBruin Air after acquiring the assets of defunct airline O'Connor Airlines.^[8][9] The company catered for executive and business charter, contract charter including fly-in fly-out, aerial photography, fire spotting and freight. DeBruin Air was formally closed in early 2016.

In mid-2016, flight instructor Tony Peters commenced operations trading as Gambier Flying School. The school currently operates two small aircraft and caters for students working towards either their RA, GA or Commercial Pilots licences.

O'Connor Airlines, which ceased operations 14 December 2007, was formerly based at the airport before going into voluntary administration.^[10] The airline initially began with a flight training school in 1973 before expanding into freight and passenger services with scheduled domestic routes to Adelaide and Melbourne..

In 2002, Australiawide Airlines, a consortium of former Ansett Australia employees acquired Hazelton Airlines and Kendell Airlines to form a new regional airline. Rex Airlines continues to operate daily flights between Adelaide, Mount Gambier and Melbourne.

In 2009, QantasLink announced it was exploring further services into regional South Australia, including flights to Mount Gambier. The airline has announced it will introduce a new air service between Adelaide to Port Lincoln, however QantasLink says while Port Lincoln is its primary focus, it will explore further expansion into regional areas.^[11]

In 2014, QantasLink announced a further 1 of 2 destinations were under consideration – Mount Gambier and Whyalla.^[12] The new service was awarded to Whyalla.^[13]

In 2020, QantasLink announced further expansion of regional routes, with flights from Mount Gambier to Adelaide and Melbourne commencing in March 2021, using Dash 8 300 Series aircraft. After only six weeks of flying to Mount Gambier, QantasLink increased the frequency on the Adelaide route from 5 weekly return flights to 12. This was part of an partnership between Qantas and the SA Government to establish a base at Adelaide Airport.^[14]

Mount Gambier Airport was ranked 45th in Australia for the number of revenue passengers served in financial year 2010–2011.^[1][3]

Source Bitre^[15]

The Mount Gambier Aero Club Inc. was originally formed in the 1930s and continued through to the Second World War when the airport was taken over by the Royal Australian Air Force. The present day aero club was established as the Mount Gambier Gliding and Soaring Club in July 1947 and continued under this name until 31 May 1957 when it was renamed the Mount Gambier Aero Club, the name used to the present day. ^[16][17]

• List of airports in South Australia

• Mount Gambier Airport Website