Building 62 (Former RAAF HQ)

In December 1940, following the commencement of World War II, the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) established its presence at Bankstown Airport. The Department of Civil Aviation acquired 630 acres of land for development as a RAAF facility, and during the war, Bankstown Airport was home to 22 RAAF units and squadrons.

The sites, also known as Building 62, located on Airport Avenue, was the former RAAF Headquarters and is the only surviving building of its kind used extensively during World War II by the Australian services.

The rear area of the building was a parade ground in use throughout the war and during the national service period, it was a major administrative centre where operations, integral to Australia’s costal defences, were planned.

The building comprises three connected P1 huts constructed of simple timber framing with weatherboard cladding and a corrugated-fibro roof.

The site has been vacant since 2005 and has suffered significant internal damage due to vandalism, natural erosion and water ingress, leading to rot in some of the structural elements. For the safety of airport employees, tenants and visitors, a barrier hoarding has been erected to restrict access to the site.

To ensure the preservation of the site’s history, a Photographic Archival Record is being conducted, and once the exercise is complete, we will share the outputs with the community.