Melbourne Airport, better known to locals as ‘Tullamarine’ or ‘Tulla’, was the first purpose-built Airport City in the world. Its facilities in 1970 were unsurpassed by any international airport it had a golf course, hotel, conference centre, art gallery, cinema, bottle shop, exhibition centre, multiple bars and a VIP lounge, and a fine-dining restaurant headed by an executive chef on his way to being awarded three Michelin stars. These facilities were built into Tullamarine’s plan by its principal planner and protagonist, Bill Bradfield, the son of John Bradfield, famous as the chief engineer of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Today, Tullamarine remains cutting-edge, with new and expanding terminals, upgraded car parks, more efficient roads, a third runway recently approved and a rail link in the works. Discover the story of Tullamarine, from its planning and opening to its modern status as a benchmark for all international Airport Cities.
