Airport West, Victoria

Suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Airport West
Melbourne, Victoria

Hood Street, Airport West

Airport West

Coordinates| 37°43′26″S 144°52′44″E﻿ / ﻿37.724°S 144.879°E﻿ / -37.724; 144.879
Population| 8,173 (2021 census)[1]
• Density| 2,209/km2 (5,720/sq mi)
Postcode(s)| 3042
Elevation| 78 m (256 ft)
Area| 3.7 km2 (1.4 sq mi)
Location| 12 km (7 mi) from Melbourne
LGA(s)| City of Moonee Valley
State electorate(s)| Niddrie
Federal division(s)| Maribyrnong
| Suburbs around Airport West:

Tullamarine | Tullamarine | Gowanbrae
Strathmore Heights
Keilor Park | Airport West | Essendon Fields
Keilor East | Niddrie | Essendon North

Airport West is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 12 km (7.5 mi) north-west of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Moonee Valley local government area. Airport West recorded a population of 8,173 at the 2021 census.[1]

Bounded by the Calder Freeway to the south, the Tullamarine Freeway to the east, and the Western Ring Road to the north west, Airport West is so named for its position to the west of Essendon Airport, Melbourne's first general airport now used for light planes, charter and freight since the opening in 1970 of Melbourne Airport, located to the north of the suburb.

It has the distinction of being the only locality in Australia which does not itself contain an airport to contain the word "Airport."[2]

## History

[edit]

This area shares a postcode and, for a time, a name with neighboring Niddrie. In the late 1950s a group of aviation related businesses along Matthews Ave petitioned for a name which might better reflect their location and help their businesses.[3]

Before subdivision in the 50s and 60s, a large portion of Airport West were two farms known as Spring Park and Niddrie.[4]

The present Airport West post office opened on 22 November 1982. The Niddrie North office which opened in 1960 was known as Airport West between 1974 and 1982, before reverting back to Niddrie North.[5]

## Demographics

[edit]

According to the 2016 census:[6]

The most common ancestries in Airport West were Australian 18.3%, English 18.2%, Italian 17.7%, Irish 8.4% and Scottish 5.6%.

In Airport West, 67.2% of people were born in Australia. The most common countries of birth were Italy 7.2%, India 2.6%, England 1.5%, Greece 1.4% and New Zealand 1.1%.

The most common responses for religion in Airport West were Catholic 44.6%, No Religion, so described 21.8%, Not stated 8.7%, Anglican 6.0% and Eastern Orthodox 5.0%. In Airport West, Christianity was the largest religious group reported overall (69.2%) (this figure excludes not stated responses).

In Airport West, 65.9% of people only spoke English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Italian 10.8%, Greek 3.0%, Mandarin 1.4%, Maltese 1.1% and Hindi 1.1%.

## Transport

[edit]

Tram route 59 travels from Westfield Airport West (at Matthews Avenue), then runs via Matthews Avenue, Keilor Road, Mount Alexander Road, Fletcher Street, Pascoe Vale Road, Mount Alexander Road, Flemington Road and then terminates at the corner of Elizabeth Street and Flinders Street, at Flinders Street station. In 1943 an extension into Essendon airport was paid for by the Federal government to facilitate workers getting into the airport to service RAAF and American military planes. this extension went up Matthews Avenue turning right into the Airport via Vaughan St.[7]

The Albion-Jacana freight line passes through Airport West near its north and west boundary. A railway line to Melbourne Airport via Airport West has been proposed under The Greens 2008 People Plan.

The currently congested Tullamarine Freeway and Calder Freeway interchange saw a redevelopment to help traffic flow easier in 2006–2007.

Seven bus routes operated by CDC Melbourne and Kastoria Bus Lines also service the suburb, and a Night Network also operates around the area.

Many of the street names follow aviation themes:

* Australian WWI Aviators, such as: Harry Hawker, Elwyn King, etc.
* Participants in the 1919 Britain-Australia air race, such as: Ray Parer and John McIntosh, George Fraser, Captain George Matthews, etc.
* Australian Airmen killed in WWII Bombing Raids over Europe, such as: James Cameron, Philip Hart, Fletcher Green, Raymond Earl, George York, Lyle Bowes, and Charles Walters. [8]

Tram stop 56 ( Earl St-Matthews Ave) at Airport West

## Commerce

[edit]

Westfield Airport West is a shopping center that was built in the northern corner of the suburb. Opening in 1976 and undergoing redevelopments in 1982 and 1999, it includes Target, Kmart, Coles, Woolworths, Aldi and a Village Cinemas complex. Other shopping areas in the suburb are also located on McNamara Avenue. The suburb contains much light industrial, manufacturing, and freight businesses due to its proximity to Essendon Airport, Melbourne Airport and to the recently built DFO.

Skyways Hotel was not the first hotel on this site. In the 1850s the Traveler's Rest Inn was established here on the road to Bulla. In 1962 The International Hotel opened boasting one of the longest public bars in Australia at 120 feet.[9] Sometime in the 90s it became Skyways. In 2014 it featured as the key location of the movie 'Mule' starring Angus Sampson and Hugo Weaving.[8]

## Educational facilities

[edit]

Airport West has one government primary school (Niddrie PS), a Catholic primary school (St. Christopher's PS) and a secondary school (Niddrie Campus, Essendon Keilor College). There is also the Bravissimi Italian Language School.[10]

## Sport

[edit]

Airport West Football Club, an Australian Rules football team, competes in the Essendon District Football League.[11]

North West Wolves play rugby league in NRL Victoria.

## Notable people

[edit]

* Ben Carroll, Victorian politician
* Brian Mannix, singer and musician [12]
* Mark Thompson, VFL/AFL player and coach[13]
* Hayden Kennedy, AFL Umpire
* Justin Madden, AFL player for Essendon and Carlton, Labor Politician[14]
* Simon Madden, AFL Player for Essendon FC
* Ash Naylor, Musician[15]
* Christine Harris, Australian Netball player[15]

## See also

[edit]

* City of Keilor – Airport West was previously within this former local government area.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Airport West (Suburbs and Localities)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
2. ^ Australia Post (8 December 2006). "Postcode Search". Archived from the original on 30 December 2012. Retrieved 12 January 2006.
3. ^ Minutes of Keilor Council meeting held on 17th April 1956, cited in Airport West History Group Newsletter No 9.
4. ^ Laskowski, Christine (2017). Steele Creek and the lady of the lake : the early history of Niddrie, Airport West, Keilor East, Avondale Heights, Keilor Park, West Essendon and Tullamarine (Revised ed.). Essendon.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: date and year (link) CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
5. ^ Phoenix Auctions History, Post Office List, retrieved 13 April 2021
6. ^ "2016 Census QuickStats". Australian Bureau if Statistics. Retrieved 18 August 2021. Text was copied from this source, which is available under a Attribution 4.0 International License.
7. ^ Kings, K.S. (December 2016). A short history of The North Melbourne Electric Tramways & Lighting Company Limited. Nunawading: Tramways Publications. ISBN 9780975801222.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
8. ^ a b Airport West Historical Walk/Ride/Run, May 2024, The Airport West History Group
9. ^ "Hotel's L-O-N-G Bar". Essendon Gazette. 4 July 1962.
10. ^ "Italian Language School For Kids - Bravissimi". Bravissimi. educational materials. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
11. ^ Full Points Footy, Airport West, archived from the original on 27 December 2008, retrieved 15 April 2009
12. ^ "Lunch with Brian Mannix". 20 April 2012.
13. ^ Thompson, Mark (2016). Bomber - The Whole Story. Penguin. pp. 5–11\. ISBN 9780143797142.5-11&rft.pub=Penguin&rft.date=2016&rft.isbn=9780143797142&rft.aulast=Thompson&rft.aufirst=Mark&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Airport+West,+Victoria" class="Z3988">
14. ^ Madden, Justin (1996). Harry. Sydney: Pan MacMillan. pp. 5–11\. ISBN 0330358529.5-11&rft.pub=Pan+MacMillan&rft.date=1996&rft.isbn=0330358529&rft.aulast=Madden&rft.aufirst=Justin&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Airport+West,+Victoria" class="Z3988">`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
15. ^ a b Pioneers, Celebrities and Legends, The Airport West History Group, May 2024

* v
* t
* e

Suburbs of the City of Moonee Valley

* Aberfeldie
* Airport West
* Ascot Vale
* Avondale Heights
* Essendon
* Essendon Fields
* Essendon North
* Essendon West
* Flemington^
* Keilor East^
* Moonee Ponds
* Niddrie
* Strathmore
* Strathmore Heights
* Travancore

^ = territory divided with another LGA
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*[t]: Discuss this template
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