Before there were airport coffee queues and direct flights to Melbourne, there was a crowd of 2,000 people waiting to see a plane land in Ballina.
That first commercial flight touched down on October 26, 1986. Forty years and more than 10 million passengers later, Ballina Byron Gateway Airport is asking locals to dig out their photographs of the occasion.
The airport marks its anniversary on Monday, October 26, and airport manager Julie Stewart wants to hear from anyone who witnessed its beginnings.
‘If you were there in 1986 or have photos tucked away at home, we’d love to hear from you,’ she said.
The call for memories was announced by Ballina Shire Council on October 20.
The airport’s origins stretch back to 1980, when Council was considering buying land north of Ballina. Former shire president Graham Ellis recalls shire engineer Peter Thorpe suggesting it might one day accommodate an airport.
Council bought the land, and its own team designed and built the facility. The construction and subsequent runway extension earned Council a national innovation award in 1989.
Passenger numbers have since grown from approximately 16,500 in 1987–88 to almost 600,000 in 2025–26.
The terminal has been expanded twice and the runway upgraded, with Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Australia now offering direct services to Sydney and Melbourne.
Alongside holidaymakers and visiting relatives, the airport serves the region’s businesses and provides a hub for emergency services.
Residents with photographs or recollections of the opening are invited to contact the airport and help fill in the picture of its first landing.
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