History
The site of today's airport is located on what was a tidal estaury lake. It was chosen a closer to town facility than the then current leased land aerodrome, Dawson Farm, located a then considerable 10km away northeast of Invercargill. This was to allow the southern city a better airline gateway. The draining and stablising of land began in 1936. It took untill 1939 before a rudimentary landing strip was considered acceptiable for light aircraft to land. By then World War Two had begun and the RNZAF used it as a back-up auxillary field while Dawson Farm remained the air force's aerodrome of choice as heavier patrol bombers could land there. The continual draining of the surrounding land was (and still is) achieved with the use of a large canal and tidal pumping system. In summer months the area is below mean sea level. The City Council built two hangers while the air force built one larger facility. Pre-fabricated office blocks provided basic adminitration facilities.
The airport's first scheduled service was in 1944 by Union Airways' Lockheed 10 Electra flying from Dunedin. The terminal facilities were little more than two small sheds as at the time a Union Airways limousine bus service provided passengers a direct link to the downtown terminal located on The Crescent.
When the Government nationalized all airlines creating NAC in 1947, this was changed to a de Havilland Dominie as the new international standards for airports were enforced at the same time. This also allowed two same day return services to Dunedin's Tairei airport which was at the time the southern terminal of the NAC main trunk route operating Douglas DC-3 airliners. Once the new paved runway was created in 1956 along with a new substantial but temporary terminal, Douglas DC-3s began operating giving Southlanders a far better standard of services. Meanwhile a local airline, Amphibian Airways had started the Stewart Island route in the early 1950s, using Grumman Widgeon ZK-AVM and ZK-BAY, in their distinctive yellow and blue liveries. The amphibians also serviced isolated coastal lighthouses and their settlements. Stewart Island Air Services took over in the late 1970s, and was then taken over by Southern Air in 1981, who still provide the air service to Stewart Island Stewart Island Flights. Mainland Air of Dunedin provide a weekly charter/pre-booked service for the Southern District Health Board, transporting doctors from Dunedin-Invercargill return.
Read more about this topic: Invercargill Airport
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