Aviation enthusiasts fight plan to sell off the birthplace of RAAF

The future of RAAF Base Point Cook, the historic birthplace of the Royal Australian Air Force, hangs in the balance as a coalition of aviation enthusiasts and local advocates launches a formal campaign against proposed private divestment. The group is urging the Commonwealth to abandon plans for a commercial sale, proposing instead that the site be transferred into a community trust to ensure its permanent protection as a public heritage asset.

Located in Melbourne’s south-west, Point Cook holds the distinction of being the oldest continuously operating military airfield in the world. Since its establishment in 1913, the base has remained the spiritual home of Australian aviation, yet recent concerns regarding potential redevelopment by private investors have raised alarms about the loss of its historical integrity and public access.

“To treat Point Cook as mere real estate is to ignore the foundational DNA of our national security and the enduring legacy of those who took to the skies when aviation was yet a dream.”

As the Department of Defence reviews its property portfolio, the debate has shifted toward the viability of a community-led model that balances modern requirements with preservation. Proponents argue that a trust would safeguard the site’s unique character, preventing the encroachment of residential or commercial interests that could silence the engines of this living museum forever.