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Gympie Aerodrome Opening

Gympie Aerodrome Opening

Opening of Gympie Aerodrome 1966

The Gympie Aerodrome opened on Saturday 7 May 1966 to much fanfare. Costing $219,000 the aerodrome was built at Kybong it was opened by the Federal Minister for Civil Aviation Mr. R.W. Swartz at 2pm.

The grand opening featured parachute displays, aerobatics, joy flights and aircraft displays. It also featured a “Spectacular Apex Air Pageant”.

It cost 20c for parking and was billed as a family day.

Video footage was filmed by WBQ8 and can be viewed here (YouTube)

Originally a news broadcast on Wide Bay Television.
This film was originally produced by WBQ 8 and was reproduced as 7 Extract from the Archives project. The project was supported by an innovation grant from the Library Board of Queensland.
© 2020 Seven Network and Gympie Regional Libraries

Opening of Gympie Aerodrome 1966

The Gympie Times ran several articles featuring the Aerodrome opening.

Gala day for opening of aerodrome, Gympie Times, Saturday 16 April page 2
Opening of Gympie Aerodrome 1966
Gympie aerodome – Gympie Times Thursday 5 May 1966 page 5
Brisbane – Gympie Air Service opens Monday – Thursday 5 1966 May Gympie Times page 1
Brisbane – Gympie Air Service opens Monday – Thursday 5 1966 May Gympie Times page 1
Opening Gympie’s airport – Gympie Times Tuesday 10 May 1966 page 1
Parachutists thrilled air crowd, Gympie Times Tuesday 10 May 1966, page 1
Of aeroplanes and aerodromes, Gympie Times Saturday 14 May 1966, page 8
They came by the inagaural flight, Gympie Times Thursday 26 May 1966, page 1
Same day return flights for Gympie, Gympie Times Saturday 11 June 1966, page 2

And one year later The Governor-General arrived at the airport.

Lord Casey welcomed at airport, Gympie Times Saturday 16 Sept 1967 page 2