RAAF Base Mallala

The closure was a result of a post-World War II strategic military drawdown and the consolidation of Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) assets. The extensive network of training bases established for the war was no longer required, and operations were centralized at fewer, larger, and more modern facilities, such as the nearby RAAF Base Edinburgh.

The site is now the Mallala Motorsport Park. After the RAAF sold the property in 1961, a group of motor racing enthusiasts purchased it and converted the airfield's runways and taxiways into a permanent motor racing circuit. The track, which opened in 1961, largely follows the layout of the original airfield. Many of the original WWII-era hangars and buildings remain on site and are utilized as part of the motorsport facility for garaging, administration, and storage.

RAAF Base Mallala holds significant historical importance, primarily for its role during World War II.

- **Empire Air Training Scheme (EATS):** Established on August 19, 1941, its main purpose was to serve as the home of No. 6 Service Flying Training School (No. 6 SFTS). As a crucial part of the EATS, the base was responsible for the advanced training of thousands of pilots from Australia and other Commonwealth nations. Pilots graduated from Mallala ready for operational conversion onto combat aircraft.

- **Aircraft and Training:** Trainees at No. 6 SFTS primarily flew twin-engine Avro Anson and later Airspeed Oxford aircraft.

- **Post-War Storage:** After the war, the base became a major aircraft storage facility, hosting a Care and Maintenance Unit (CMU). This unit was responsible for the storage and preservation of hundreds of surplus RAAF aircraft, including Spitfires, Boomerangs, Kittyhawks, and Wirraways, prior to their disposal.

- **Citizen Air Force Base:** From 1951 until 1956, Mallala was the home base for No. 24 (City of Adelaide) Squadron, a Citizen Air Force unit. The squadron initially operated P-51D Mustang fighters before transitioning to De Havilland Vampire jet fighters, marking the base's entry into the jet age.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the site as an airport. It has been continuously operated as a dedicated and popular motorsport venue for over six decades. The infrastructure has been permanently and significantly modified for motor racing, making any potential conversion back to an operational airfield economically and logistically unfeasible.