RAAF Williams, airport in Australia
RAAF Williams is a military air base in Victoria, Australia, made up of two separate sites: Point Cook and Laverton, both located southwest of Melbourne. Each site has runways, hangars, and buildings used for training and operations by the Royal Australian Air Force.
Point Cook was established in the early 1900s as the first military airfield in Australia and is considered the oldest continually active military airfield in the world. Laverton was added in 1925, and both sites served key roles during major conflicts over the following decades.
The name RAAF Williams honors Air Marshal Sir Richard Williams, the first Australian to reach that rank in the air force. At Point Cook, visitors can see preserved aircraft from different decades displayed alongside original military buildings that are still standing today.
Access to the base is normally limited to authorized personnel, but the museum at Point Cook is open to the public on certain days. It is worth checking in advance which areas are accessible, as opening arrangements can change.
In 1948, the runways at Point Cook were used as a circuit for the Australian Grand Prix, turning a military airfield into a motor racing venue for the day. This is one of the few times an active air base has hosted a major motorsport event anywhere in the world.
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