It changed its name in 2013, to match local government's regulation on airport naming.[6]
History
The airport was a stop-over location in the early days of pioneering aviation for Bill Lancaster and Jessie Maude "Chubbie" Miller in 1927. This journey was one of the longest flights made in a small aircraft and the first attempted flight between England and Australia. However, the flight was overtaken by Bert Hinkler, who was the first to complete the journey. [7]
In 2006, the airport had a runway length of just 900 meters.[8] It was extended several times, with plans to extend the runway to 2,500 meters eventually.[9]