Aviation advocates push for community trust to keep historic Point Cook air base from sale
A group of aviation enthusiasts is urging the government to place the historic RAAF Base Point Cook under a community trust instead of selling it to private investors.
The federal government plans to divest the 342-hectare Point Cook air base, citing under-use and $163 million in projected maintenance costs over 25 years, and intends to reinvest proceeds in northern defence facilities. Aviation volunteers, including Terry Smith and Peter Bainbridge, stress the site's significance as the location of Australia’s first military flight in 1914 and its role in both world wars. Heritage activist Mark Pilkington and Wing Commander Michelle McPhail argue the base’s historic structures, museum, and adjacent Ramsar-protected wetlands should be managed by a not-for-profit trust.
Local councillor Josh Gilligan warns that rezoning for housing could overwhelm existing infrastructure, while Property Council’s Cath Evans supports unlocking surplus land for homes if paired with proper services. The Department of Finance will oversee the sale, though no timetable has been announced.
Why it matters
The outcome will determine whether a key piece of Australia’s aviation heritage is preserved or turned into housing development.
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