Archerfield Operations-Administration Building
& Control Tower
- c.1960-1970s


The art-deco Brisbane/Archerfield Operations-Administration building photographed, it is thought, in the late 1960s. Note the control tower cab on the roof. The building is very similar to others constructed at Adelaide/Parafield and Sydney/Mascot. Although designed in 1936, the building was not completed until 1941 at a cost of £15,000. An additional, similar building planned for Hobart/Cambridge was never built due to wartime stringencies. The whole affair is reminiscent of the superstructure and bridge of a ship, even down to the mast on top of the Tower.

The building's original design included airline offices, passenger processing areas, a mail sorting room and a cafeteria on the ground floor. Civil Aviation administration offices and accommodation for the airport Superintendent were located on the first floor, and Aeradio facilities (later Flight Service) occupied the second floor. Note the festoon of HF receiver antenna cables in the foreground.

This Control Tower was replaced by a free-standing Tower in 1974. Eagle Farm had taken over from Archerfield as Brisbane's primary airport in 1949 and Archerfield became the secondary General Aviation airport.

 


The image above shows another view of the building from landside - note the DCA 'wings' logo ornament above the entry door. This building was constructed in 1940 and still exists today (c.2008), although it is now used only as an administration building and passenger terminal.

 

AF TWR


The image above, with a closer view below, shows the same building a few years later, on 5 July 1976. The view is from the movement area of the aerodrome.

 

AF TWR


Click here to see this building in 1947 & 1957

Click here to see photos of the Tower cab in 1974

Click here to read about the history of this building in Control Towers Part 1

(Photos: CAHS collection)


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