Airways Museum (Essendon Fields)

The Airways Museum is an aviation museum, but with one difference - there are no aircraft! Instead, the Museum houses a collection of national importance that traces the development of Australia's civil aviation airways system through innovation and technical development from it's beginnings in the 1920s to today. The story is told through artefacts and photographs, and illustrates how Australia has often played a leading role internationally in aviation development.

The museum is linked to the Civil Aviation Historical Society which exists to preserve the history of the Department of Civil Aviation, its predecessors and successors. The Society holds bi-monthly meetings with guest speakers at the Museum and visitors are welcome. Film Nights, featuring films from the Civil Aviation Historical Society archives, plus an annual Open Day are featured on the year's programme. The Society also maintains an archive of photographs, documents, publications and films. The archive is open to researchers by appointment. Full membership of the Society is open to current and former employees of the DCA, its predecessors and successors. Associate membership is open to all other people with an interest in aviation history.

The Airways Museum collection had its origins in 1973 when it was realised that much airways equipment that had been in service since the War, or before, was being replaced and would soon disappear altogether if not preserved. The purpose of the collection is to preserve for posterity example of airways equipment which were once in common use. In doing so, the significant contribution of Australia over the years to the development of safe and reliable civil aviation is also highlighted. The collection contains a number of Australian innovations and inventions that have led the world, and of which we can be justly proud. Major areas covered in the museum include air traffic services, tower control, approach control, en-route control, aeradio/flight service, air/ground & ground/ground communications equipment, radio navigation beacons & radar, airport lighting & visual approach guidance and flight calibration of navigation aids.

Opening Hours:

Tours of the Airways Museum are available on Tuesdays 9am-3pm and at other times by appointment.

Cost:

Entry is by gold coin donation for individuals, $4 per head for group tours (including tea/coffee & bikkies, and a guided tour).