Macrossan Airfield and Stores Depot

Macrossan, like most sites chosen for airfield construction was close to the railway heading west to Mt Isa. Situated on the left bank of the mighty Burdekin River, Macrossan was planned as an RSU (Repair and Salvage Unit) base. In addition the RAAF and Australian Defence Authorities chose to construct a significant RAAF stores depot in this vicinity. Like some others throughout the country, such as Drayton near Toowoomba and Dubbo in NSW, this complex featured larger warehouse buildings, very much with an air of permanence; i.e. meant to last post-war.

The very suggestion of design life for buildings beyond the anticipated period of hostilities was at odds with the American philosophy of tailoring scarce manpower and materials resources in tune with tactical advances being made northward and away from Australia. However, Australian authorities did prevail. Though delayed several times in target completion, this RAAF Number 8 Stores Depot was commissioned and the property at least in the late 1990s remained as an ADF (Australian Defence Force) stores base.

Two airstrips were cleared and formed to the SE of the stores base. It appears these were only occupied by RAAF Units and there, the “hangar” buildings two in number were in stark contrast to the larger buildings of the Stores Depot. The foundations for these cantilever hangar aircraft servicing structures are all that do remain and Roger Marks has so far failed to locate any war-time photos of these buildings at Macrossan. A similar structure does appear in surviving photos at Garbutt, enabling some appreciation of the open-air nature of the structure.