Castlereagh Aerodrome

Post-WWII military surplus and subsequent land redevelopment. The aerodrome was built as a wartime measure and was no longer required by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) after 1945. Its long, paved runway made it an ideal location for the burgeoning sport of drag racing, leading to its formal conversion for motorsport rather than aviation.

The site of the former aerodrome and dragway no longer exists in its original form. The entire area was extensively quarried for sand and gravel and has since been completely redeveloped as part of the Penrith Lakes Scheme. The land has been transformed into a network of artificial lakes, parklands, and recreational areas. The Sydney International Regatta Centre, a key venue for the rowing and canoeing events of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, is located within this scheme, very close to the former aerodrome's location. There are no visible remnants of the runway or any aviation infrastructure.

RAAF Castlereagh was constructed around 1942 as a satellite and Emergency Landing Ground (ELG) for the main RAAF Base Richmond. Its purpose was to provide a dispersal field for aircraft, primarily fighters like Spitfires, Boomerangs, and Kittyhawks, to protect them from a potential enemy attack on the main base. It featured a single, long sealed runway. After the war, its disuse by the military led to it becoming a legendary and foundational venue for Australian motorsport. From the 1950s, it was used for unofficial drag races, and in 1973 it was formally established as the Castlereagh International Dragway, hosting major national events and becoming the heart of the Sydney drag racing scene for over a decade.

Zero. There are no plans, prospects, or possibilities for reopening the aerodrome. The land has been irrevocably altered and is now a major recreational and environmental asset as part of the Penrith Lakes. Furthermore, the development of the new Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport nearby makes the establishment of another airfield in this specific location both unfeasible and unnecessary.