• Hannah Cash (left), winner of the Peter Teakle Aviation Scholarship, and Coraine Sopru, whose late husband's Cessna is the gate guard at Parafield, unveil a display cabinet at the official opening of the Parafield Aviation Heritage Centre. (via Hughes PR)
    Hannah Cash (left), winner of the Peter Teakle Aviation Scholarship, and Coraine Sopru, whose late husband's Cessna is the gate guard at Parafield, unveil a display cabinet at the official opening of the Parafield Aviation Heritage Centre. (via Hughes PR)
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Parafield Airport this week celebrated 90 years of operation with the official opening of the Parafield Aviation Heritage Centre.

Housed in the old fire station building on Kings Road, the centre includes memorabilia and historical accounts from Parafield Airport and South Australia’s early aviation pioneers.

Mark Young, Managing Director of Adelaide and Parafield Airports said the centre aimed to store the history of  Parafield.

“The idea of the Parafield Aviation Heritage Centre is to display items showcasing key themes and events that have occurred at Parafield Airport over the past 90 years,” he said.

“The old airport fire station has turned out to be the perfect location. We anticipate the centre will become a focal visitor attraction for the northern suburbs and an educational hub for school groups to learn more about Parafield Airport’s rich history.

“A significant number of aviation and heritage experts have provided their support over the past year to create what you see today and I congratulate everyone who has played a part in bringing this project to fruition.”

Parafield Airport has called for volunteers with a keen interest in aviation history to help run the centre, and also would like to hear from anyone who may have their own piece of aviation history from the past 90 years and may be willing to donate or loan their memorabilia to the centre.

Parafield Airport was first used as an "all over" airport in 1927, when Miller Aviation Company (later MacRobertson Miller Airways in Western Australia) and Australian Aerial Services moved from the main airport at Albert Park.

Parafield operated as Adelaide’s main aerodrome from 1927 to 1955. It was a port of call in early transcontinental air races, and welcomed Queen Elizabeth II during her Australian Coronation tour in 1954.

Today Parafield is Adelaide's major general aviation and training airport, averaging over 200,000 movements per year.

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