Local Government
Meekatharra
Region
Midwest
There no heritage location found in the Google fusion table.
Location
Meekatharra Meekatharra
Location Details
Other Name(s)
Meekatharra Airport
Construction Date
Constructed from 1943 to 1958
Demolition Year
N/AStatutory Heritage Listings
| Type | Status | Date | Documents | More information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (no listings) |
Heritage Council Decisions and Deliberations
| Type | Status | Date | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|
| (no listings) |
Other Heritage Listings and Surveys
| Type | Status | Date | Grading/Management | More information | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category | Description | ||||
| Municipal Inventory | Adopted | 21 Sep 2013 | Category C |
Category C |
|
Statement of Significance
The site of the RAAF aerodrome is significant for its association with World War Two and its impact in Western Australia.
History
The original airfield was gravel runways east of town. In 1943, the RAAF A1 class Government Aerodrome No. 872 was built at Meekatharra as part of the Commonwealth Government's Second World War defence program. The aerodrome was designed to take heavy bombers with two sealed runways: east-west (7000 feet / 2,100 metres) and south-west (5,000 feet / 1,500 metres). It was one of a number of landing places intended for evacuation in the event of an enemy attack on the coast. The Department of Civil Aviation took over responsibility after the War and a terminal was built in 1958. Meekatharra is used as an emergency landing place for large passenger aircraft that have to be diverted from Perth due to fog or bad weather. One such event in 1977 involved a plane carrying then Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser and his wife Tammy, who was heard to describe the place as 'the end of the earth', a description which stuck. In 1993 he Shire of Meekatharra rook over the airport operation.
Integrity/Authenticity
INTEGRITY High degree
AUTHENTICITY High degree
Condition
Good
Other Reference Numbers
| Ref Number | Description |
|---|---|
| Regional 7 | Municipal Inventory |
Place Type
Individual Building or Group
Uses
| Epoch | General | Specific |
|---|---|---|
| Present Use | Transport\Communications | Air: Other |
| Original Use | Transport\Communications | Air: Other |
Historic Themes
| General | Specific |
|---|---|
| TRANSPORT & COMMUNICATIONS | Air transport |
Creation Date
03 Jun 2002Publish place record online (inHerit):
ApprovedLast Update
01 Jan 2017Disclaimer
This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.