Pakenham, AU 🇦🇺 Closed Airport
AU-0678
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- ft
AU-VIC
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Loading...GPS Code: Not available
Local Code: Not available
Location: -38.088421° N, 145.480871° E
Continent: OC
Type: Closed Airport
Keywords: YPAK YPAK
Loading weather data...
| Designation | Length | Width | Surface | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
09/27 |
3937 ft | - ft | X | Active |
| Type | Description | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| CTAF | CTAF | 120.0 MHz |
| MISC | MISC | 121.3 MHz |
| MISC | MISC | 124.0 MHz |
Circa 1999-2000. While an exact date is not officially recorded, the airfield ceased operations in the late 1990s to make way for a new housing development, with construction beginning around the year 2000.
Urban Encroachment and Land Redevelopment. The primary reason for the airport's closure was economic. As the suburb of Pakenham expanded rapidly, the land on which the airport was situated became extremely valuable for residential development. The owners of the airfield sold the land to developers, leading to its permanent closure to build the Heritage Springs housing estate.
The site has been completely and irreversibly redeveloped. The land that once housed the runway, taxiways, and hangars of Pakenham Airport is now the 'Heritage Springs' residential estate. The area is now a dense suburban landscape of houses, streets, parks, and a local shopping centre. There are no physical remnants of the former airport.
Pakenham Airport, more commonly known as Pakenham Airfield, was a significant privately owned general aviation hub for Melbourne's southeastern corridor. It was a popular base for:
- **Flight Training:** Several flying schools operated from Pakenham, providing training for private and commercial pilot licenses.
- **Recreational Flying:** It was a home base for many private aircraft owners and recreational pilots in the region.
- **Aircraft Maintenance:** The airfield had facilities for light aircraft maintenance and servicing.
- **Charter Operations:** Some small-scale air charter services for light aircraft operated from the field.
It primarily handled single and twin-engine piston aircraft and was a vibrant part of the local aviation community for several decades. It did not handle scheduled commercial passenger services.
None. There are zero prospects for the airport to reopen at its original location. The land has been fully developed with permanent residential and commercial infrastructure. The cost to acquire and clear the land would be astronomically prohibitive and politically impossible. General aviation services for the region are now concentrated at other airports such as Moorabbin Airport (YMMB), Tooradin Airfield (YTDN), and Latrobe Valley Airport (YLTV).
This airfield used to be used by the Pakenham Commando Skydivers (commandoskydivers.com.au), who have since moved their operations to Tooradin. YTDN
The Pakenham airfield will never open again, considering all of the housing, factories and other things that are on it now.
Well and truly closed. The former runway alignment lies under the path of Greendale Blvd, Arden Ave and Sandalwood drive and the houses on the southern side of these streets. It also extends under the Shanagolden village property. Sections of grasslands to on the northern side of the former runway have been preserved as green lands and are protected to some extent by the existence of native grasses (assumedly protected from grazing for many years by the existence of the former airport).
Reply to @david:
Yes Pakenham is now closed. A freeway runs along what was the east-west runway.
I received an e-mail that this airport is closed and that there's a road through it. I can see no evidence of the road in the satellite shot, but the "Map" view does show a road crossing the runway. I've marked it as closed for now - can any locals confirm?