We hope that Darwin International Airport provides you with an enjoyable travel experience and wish you a happy and safe journey.

Strategic Location

Darwin is well placed to serve as an Australian gateway of regional significance to/from South East Asia. It is the only large population centre in an isolated 5,600 km stretch of coast from Cairns to Perth. Strategically located on the "apex" of Australia, Darwin is the nearest capital city to the still developing areas of eastern Indonesia, eastern Malaysia and the southern Philippines.

Locality

Darwin International Airport is located 13 kilometres north east of the Darwin Central Business District, lying between the central city areas to the south west and the main district centre of Casuarina to the north.

The airport is bounded by:

· Stuart Highway and Winnellie Industrial Area to the south
· McMillans Road and Marrara sporting fields to the north
· Bagot Road and residential and industrial areas to the west, and
· Amy Johnston Avenue and Marrara wetlands to the east.

Access to the terminal is via Henry Wrigley Drive, off McMillans Road.

History

The first aerodrome at Darwin was located on what was known locally as the Parap Police Paddock. It was selected in 1919 to provide the Australian Terminal for the England to Australia air race. The first aircraft arrived from England during December 1919, two days later the first flight across Australia from the south also landed on the site.
The Parap aerodrome was developed progressively along the alignment of what is now Ross Smith Avenue. It served as the sole land aerodrome at Darwin until July 1940 when the existing aerodrome was commissioned by the RAAF. The Parap aerodrome continued to be used until the end of 1945.
In 1945 the Department of Aviation made the existing Darwin military airfield available for civil aviation purposes under the terms of a joint-user policy which included a requirement for a civil building area to be developed as a self contained entity.
At that time all building development on the site was in the south west section of the aerodrome and it was agreed that with the low level of aviation activity then existing in Darwin, civil aviation operations could be established within the RAAF area utilising mainly existing facilities.
Initially civil passenger traffic was handled in the end of a former RAAF hangar. As the traffic grew the terminal facilities expanded to occupy the whole building and in the surrounding areas the apron, car parks and roads became severely congested.
By the late 1950's it was recognised that the civil aviation activities would need to move from the RAAF area and possibly ultimately to the northern area of the aerodrome. However, due to the cost of developing the northern area and the still relatively low levels of aviation activity it was decided that civil aviation facilities could be developed in the area east of the 18/36 runway.
The RAAF upgraded the runways during the latter part of the 1950s and early 1960s. The present high strength 11/29 main runway was completed in 1962 and paved for a length of 3,354 metres. In 1964, the full length (1524 metres) of the 18/36 secondary runway was reconstructed and resealed.
In the early 1960's development of the area east of the 18/36 runway commenced. A new fire station was co-located with a new RAAF control tower, an operations Air Traffic Control/Communication (ATC/COM) Centre, meteorological facilities, power houses, technical maintenance facilities and a general aviation hangar area were established.
The constrained area available for civil aviation use and the expansion and security needs of both civil aviation and the RAAF resulted in renewed efforts to establish civil aviation facilities separated from the RAAF.
Between 1970 and 1982 a number of studies were undertaken which included consideration of relocation of both RAAF and civil aviation for a new site.
In 1980 it was concluded that the civil operations should relocate to the northern side of the main runway. Following further RAAF studies of its requirements the Department of Aviation recommended a staged development which was adopted by the Government in November 1982. Subsequently development of the site commenced in 1984 but was halted by the Government in 1985 over concern at the cost.
In the latter half of the 1980's the Government actively implemented policies which removed the planning, development, operation, and maintenance of civil aviation facilities from departmental control and the Commonwealth Budget.
On 1 April 1989 the Federal Airports Corporation (FAC) assumed responsibility for the planning, development, operation and maintenance of the civil facilities on Darwin International Airport and the land required for civil operations was acquired from the Department of Defence (RAAF). The FAC immediately commenced planning of the development of 311 hectares of land located on the north side of the 11/29 runway. It followed closely a Provisional Master Plan prepared by the Department of Aviation in 1983.
In January 1990 the FAC awarded a $55 million contract to design and construct a new domestic/international terminal, aprons, taxiways, roads and car parks. Separate helicopter and general aviation aprons and taxiways and associated services were also included as part of the project. Operations commenced from the new terminal on 15
December 1991 and effectively separated civil and military activities at Darwin International Airport.
During 1998 a new Fire Station and Control Tower were constructed within the civil areas to the north of the runway. The Fire Station was commissioned in 1999 and the control tower in 2000. Between 1995 and 1998 the FAC further developed access roads and extended the long term public, hire car and staff car parks and carried out taxiway enhancements.
On 10 June 1998, Northern Territory Airports Pty Ltd obtained a 50-year lease, plus a 49 year option from the Commonwealth Government to manage and develop the civil area of Darwin International Airport (DIA). The airport is a joint user facility shared with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). The airport-leased area is to the north and consists of 311 hectares of land. The Department of Defence owns the RAAF base to the southeast.
In September 1998, an additional taxiway was constructed to provide airside access to local operators, Pel-Air and Airnorth, located to the east of the terminal.
In 1999, the Commonwealth Minister for Transport and Regional Services approved the 20 year Master Plan in accordance with Section 81 of the Airports Act 1996. This plan provides the framework for Darwin International Airport's future development.

Street Address:
Airport Management Centre, 1 Fenton Court, MARRARA Northern Territory 0812, Australia

Postal Address:
Post Office Box 40996, CASUARINA Northern Territory 0811, Australia

Telephone: (Main Reception) 61 8 8920 1811

Facsimile:
Management Centre: 61 8 8920 1800,
Terminal Control Centre: 61 8 8920 1855

Email: information drw at ntairports com au

URL: www.darwinairport com au

Runway 11/29

11004 x 197 feet
3354 x 60 meters

Runway 18/36

5000 x 98 feet
1524 x 30 meters

Navaids

Navaids

The content above was published at Airports-Worldwide.com in 2004-2006.
We don't guarantee the information is fresh and accurate. The data may be wrong or outdated.
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