Aerodrome Auction

**Fast Facts**
Type of event	Commemoration
Town or locality	Mallala Aerodrome
Date occurred or began	February 17, 1961
Managed or hosted by	Commonwealth of Australia

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During the 1950s, Edinburgh air base had been established. Because the Mallala airfield was unsuitable for modern aircraft, the appropriate Minister decided to dispose of the land, hangars, houses and other buildings and equipment in 1960.

What an outcry this caused.

For the years of its operation, the RAAF base had boosted travel (the railway station platform had to be lengthened), had fully extended the school's capacity, had brought eager boarders and flat-seekers to the doorsteps of home owners, had swelled congregations, filled the Institute functions, and had enlivened local business.

In spite of the fact that some of the hangars were leased to the SA Co-operative Bulk Handling Co. to cope with the record grain harvests, the 871 acres was auctioned by Bennett and Fisher Ltd.

Quoting from The Advertiser of 18 December 1961, 'Few traces remain apart from a few old huts and hospital sections etc. still being used on farms as barns.'