Parafield Airport

Celebrating all the amazing fathers and father figures in our team and community. Happy Father’s Day! 🧡

Don Bradman at Parafield.


Photo1
Don Bradman and two other men seated in a car decorated with ribbons and a sign reading 'Chevrolet Sports Roadster [presented] by General Motors to the Lord Mayor's Relief Fund'.

A large crowd stands around a plane at Parafield Airport on the occasion of Don Bradman's visit. The plane is VH-UMG, the 'Southern Star' operated by Australian National Airways.

Photo 2
Don Bradman and another man in a car decorated with ribbons, observed by a crowd while travelling through Rundle Street.

Credit: SA State Library Series 069: Don Bradman visit to Adelaide [BRG 397/2/69]

There’s nothing quite like the tranquility of a sunrise over Parafield Airport. The sky transforms into a canvas of warm hues, setting the perfect tone for a new day.

Here’s to fresh beginnings and beautiful mornings!

Radio Beacon Mast erected at Parafield Aerodrome in June 1939. The following words are from a newspaper clipping from The Advertiser July 1939 attached to the back of the photograph. "Marker Beacon Completed. The first of the radio marker beacons which it is understood will be installed on certain approaches to Parafield has been finished, but no date for its testing has been announced, It is believed, however, that the beacon, which will operate in conjunction with the radio beam, will be tested by Civil Aviation Department and PMG radio experts when they visit Parafield to complete the testing of the radio beam. Situated almost directly behind the beam station the marker beacon will radiate vertical signals, which, when received in a flying plane, will indicate to the pilot that his machine is directly above the aerodrome. The signals will be in addition to the indication given by the cone of silence, directly above the beam's radiating mast".

Courtesy: [B 8530] State Library of South Australia (slsa.sa.gov.au)

Leyton Property are pleased to provide an exciting update regarding Stage 2 of our Parafield Retail Hub development.

The Nobby Buckley Drive entrance road will provide a much needed second access point to the Northern and Southern Parafield Retail Hub sites and will create an important vehicular loop from Nobby Buckley Drive to Kesters Rd and back.


This secondary access road will also give customers travelling from the North along Nobby Buckley Drive direct access into the Retail Hub, as there is no right hand turn available from Kesters Rd. This is a fantastic outcome for retailers, customers, stakeholders and the wider Parafield Airport precinct. We are looking forward to seeing Stage 2 of the Parafield Retail Hub opening mid-August 2024!

We are proud to announce that Parafield Men's Shed has been featured in Bunnings Magazine! This article highlights their dedication to community, craftsmanship, and creating a supportive space for men of all ages.
Check out the magazine to read more about our projects and the impact Men’s Shed is making here https://www.bunnings.com.au/bunnings-magazine/july-2024
Credits: Bunnings Warehouse Australia Magazine, Photography: Kate Dyer/Urban Safari

Step back in time with our weather forecast station, where predicting the weather is an art, not just a science.

Happy National Lamington Day!

On this delightful day, we celebrate the iconic Australian dessert—the Lamington! Lord Lamington, Governor of Queensland, Australia from 1896 to 1901 receives credit for creating the lamington. These buttery, flavourful sponge cakes are dipped in rich chocolate sauce and coated with desiccated coconut. They’re a true Aussie favourite!
Whether you’re enjoying a classic Lamington or baking your own, share the love for this sweet treat!

Golden Hour at Parafield!

Photo Courtesy: Team Airservices Australia

Horace Clive Miller OBE (30 April 1893 – 1980) was a pioneering Australian aviator and co-founder of MacRobertson Miller Airlines (MMA).
He flew in the 1929 Western Australian Centenary Air Race, winning handicap honours.
The connecting road from Kings Road at Parafield Airport and the main road to the Perth International Airport Terminal 1 is named Horrie Miller Drive in honour of the aviator.

Horrie Miller started Australia's first capital-to-capital airmail run, from Adelaide to Sydney in 1924, from Harry Butler’s Hendon (Albert Park) aerodrome in Adelaide's west. The airmail route was Adelaide-Mildura-Hay-Narrandera-Cootamundra-Sydney over 24 hours. MacPherson Robertson initially flew out of Hendon (Albert Park) and Parafield, where Miller was the first person to land.
Horrie Miller added to the colour of Adelaide aviation when he arrived in 1921, with a background as an Australian Air Corps war pilot and in barnstorming (stunt flying).
Photo: Horrie Miller in his flying Jacket and helmet, 1920s
Courtesy: BA2749/2160 State Library Western Australia

Gusty winds and passing showers are currently affecting much of southern South Australia today.
What to expect:
• Showers will be on-and-off for the next two days.
• Heaviest rainfall is likely over the Mount Lofty Ranges.
• Gusty wind will make the outdoors feel cooler.
• Hail is possible for the Yorke and Eyre Peninsulas, unlikely for Adelaide.

Courtesy: Bureau Of Meteorology

For the latest forecasts and warnings, visit their website at www.bom.gov.au or the BOM Weather app.

Passengers on first return flight to Perth.
Passengers including Mrs Scarfe, E.E. Scarfe and son Elwyn (third, fourth and fifth on left) at Parafield aerodrome for the first return flight Adelaide-Perth.
Photo Courtesy: PRG 1445/8/3 State Library of South Australia (slsa.sa.gov.au)

Catching flights and rainbows at Parafield Airport.

Photo Courtesy: Team Airservices Australia

Throwback Thursday!
Royal couple, 1954 visit at Parafield Airport.
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip waving to spectators from the back of their car.
Photo Courtesy: B73713/1, State Library of South Australia

DH89 VH-UUO on finals at Parafield.

Photo courtesy : B+57200/214 Guinea Airways Ltd. : Aircraft • Photograph • State Library of South Australia (slsa.sa.gov.au)

As a vital component of Parafield Airport's infrastructure, the re-painted helipad stands ready to facilitate seamless rotary-wing operations, supporting a wide array of aerial activities with unwavering reliability. This endeavour underscores Parafield Airport's unwavering dedication to maintaining top-tier aviation facilities, ensuring the continued safety and efficiency of air traffic operations within its precincts.
Photo Courtesy: Andrew Rogers

May 18th- International Museum Day

Did you know that Parafield Airport is home to the Classic Jets Fighter Museum, home of the world’s oldest F4U Corsair?

The Classic Jets Fighter Museum has salvaged an F4U-1 S/N 02270, from Vanuatu, where it force landed in a lagoon, near Quoin Hill fighter strip on the 5 th May 1944.

The Corsair’s pilot Captain James Vittitoe escaped uninjured. The Corsair’s machine guns were salvaged the next day and the aircraft was then abandoned.

The restoration of this magnificent fighter aircraft is by far the Museum’s most ambitious and challenging project.

Five Corsair crash sites have supplied many hard to find components for the project.

However, the loaning to the Museum of several airworthy airframe modules, to build jigs around, enabled the construction of new modules as part of the Corsair buildup.

Utilising specific airframe stations as datum points, along with volunteer ingenuity, enabled the construction of the large and complicated fuselage section.
Corsair 02270 is the world’s oldest surviving Corsair, with a data plate on the spar indicating it was number 124 off the production line.

With most major components constructed, the Corsair restoration project has now moved to the assembly of the aircraft and can be viewed undergoing this process in the Museum’s Restoration Facility, Hangar 107. Anderson Drive. Museum is open every day except Tuesday from 10am-3pm.

#17 Parafield Airport in History

L10A VH-AAU at Parafield. Percy Stone in cockpit.

Date of Publication :1939
Picture Courtesy : (B 57200/67) Guinea Airways Ltd. : Aircraft • Photograph • State Library of South Australia (slsa.sa.gov.au)

Looks like these feathered friends decided to ditch the 'fly' zone and go for a leisurely stroll at Parafield Airport's landside! Maybe they're practicing for their runway debut?

Farewell to Rivergum.
As Rivergum prepare to bid farewell to their beloved Parafield Display Village after 17 incredible years, they reflect on the legacy of craftsmanship and innovation it has represented. It's been the perfect space for their Coast and Country designs, including the ever-popular Silky—an absolute favourite among their valued clients! Although Rivergum say goodbye to this chapter, they are excited to announce the upcoming construction of their new Display Home at Oakden Rise, set to open its doors in late 2024!

Arial view of Parafield Airport that combines the dynamic elements of aviation with the serene beauty of it’s surroundings. It is undoubtedly the vital hub for aviation enthusiasts, pilots and travellers alike.
Photo Courtesy: Andrew Chown

Look, who is making a special airside visit at Parafield Airport again! Happy Easter from our high-flying friend. Wishing you all a runway of happiness and a sky full of blessings. HAPPY EASTER 🐰

PARAFIELD, SOUTH AUSTRALIA
CIRCA 1938

I love to look at how things have changed over the years. These rolling hills have certainly filled with suburbia over the years. I have a disclaimer: I do not know what colour these planes are meant to be. So, I have taken some creative liberty.

This edited and colourised photograph belonging to the State Library of South Australia is named "Royal Aero Club, Parafield (B 10322)." It was taken in approximately 1938 and is part of the Parafield Collection. The unedited image can be viewed using the link below:

https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/B+10322

The library summarises, "A row of aircraft and their pilots are lined up at Parafield Airfield. The plane in the foreground, VH-UXQ, is a Hillston Praga, purchased in 1937 by the Royal Aero Club. The second plane along, VH-UA1, is a Miles Hawk. This plane was used by the RAAF during WW 2. (Info. from www.EdCoatesCollection.com) The other four aircraft are DH60 Gipsy Moths. [On the back of photograph] 'Fleet of Royal Aero Club at Parafield / September 1938 / Reproduced in the News, September 10th, 1938'.

The article (link below) provides the following information about the Royal Aero Club of South Australia, "To teach young men and women to fly, to make the whole community of South Australia air-minded, and, as an immediate objective, to give people in the nearer country towns full opportunities of learning to fly - these are the chief aims of the Royal Aero Club of South Australia, whose story is told in this article by the secretary (Mr. J. Churchill-Smith).

Since the club was formed 11 years ago, 37,000 flights have been made in its machines in 11,200 flying hours, a splendid record of progress."

If you would like to read the entire article, use the link below:

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/131541164

Edited and colourised by Kelly Bonato of A Colourful History

Copyright © Kelly Bonato 2023. All image editing, enhancement and colourisation is subject to copyright. You are welcome to share this post, but the image alone cannot be copied or shared without permission.

International Women’s Day!
If you’re looking for an example of women empowering one another, you need look no further than Parafield Flying Centre , the only flying school at Parafield which is run by women. Sian Zimmer and Beverley Roediger head up the team, combining their different backgrounds and experiences to create a relaxed learning environment where trainees can progress at their own pace. Sian and Bev met in 2007 at the Barossa Air Show where Bev gave Sian lots of sound advice about learning to fly, and they have been friends, and Bev has been Sian’s mentor, ever since. They have grown Parafield Flying Centre from a single site in 2016 to a broader operation also offering flight training at Port Pirie, Port Lincoln, Cowell and Wudinna.
Sian brings a varied and unusual background to aviation, including a major in genetics, 23 years as a social worker and counsellor, 36 years of marriage and 26 years of motherhood to two boys, 8 years in the State Emergency Service, and a lifetime of musicianship and dog ownership. She is currently the proud dog-parent of Bailey the greyhound. Sian achieved her PPL and CPL at Parafield, and her FIR at Murray Bridge. She has flown and taught in a range of single-engine aircraft, accumulating 3000 instructing hours to date.
Bev gained her PPL at Parafield, her CPL in New Guinea where she had moved with her husband, and her FIR at Point Cook, all back in the day when women didn’t become pilots! She was also appointed in the 1980s to the role of CFI at the Australian Aviation College at Parafield, becoming Parafield’s first woman CFI of an integrated flying school. Bev was also the course co-ordinator at Parafield TAFE for many years. With over 55 years of instructing, Bev is certainly in contention for the title of South Australia’s most experienced flying instructor. There are very few aircraft, single and multi-engine, which Bev has not flown at some point. Bev also combined her career with marriage, raising two boys, and dog-ownership. She is now the proud dog-parent of River the sheepdog, who was brought back from a training trip to Wudinna.

The Bear Family is on the Move!

Hey everyone! We've got some paw-sitively thrilling news to share! The beloved Kim Bear is embarking on a new adventure as she relocates all the way from Parafield to the beautiful shores of Tasmania! But here's the real kicker... she is not traveling light!
In an unprecedented move, the Bear Family has chartered a special flight with Pawmobile to make their journey smooth and comfortable. Along with Kim, she is bringing along 15 of her furry friends! That's right – it's a full-blown brigade!
Each member of the family is eagerly looking forward to their new home amongst the stunning landscapes and friendly faces of Tasmania. And let's not forget the adventures awaiting them in their new backyard!
So, if you happen to spot a chartered flight with a trail of furry passengers heading towards Tasmania, give them a wave and a warm welcome!
A big shout to Andrew Rogers, PAL Operations Supervisor for his assistance. The Bear family expressed their profound gratitude to Andrew.

Have your say! 💬 We're holding a Public Open Day at Parafield Airport tomorrow, as part of the public comment process for the Preliminary Draft Master Plan 2024.

📅 When: 1:30pm – 4:30 pm, Wednesday 6th March 2024

📍 Where: Parafield Airport Limited, Building 18, Tigermoth Lane, Parafield Airport

We’re planning for the future, and we invite you to participate in the consultation process by providing your views on any aspect of the Parafield Airport Master Plan.

You can view the Master Plan at https://www.parafieldairport.com.au/community/publications . The website includes details on how you can provide written comments up until close of business on 4th April 2024.

📧 Enquiries: [email protected]

Awakening to a new day's first light 🌄☀️
Photo Credit: Andrew Rogers