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Mount St. John Airstrip
Mount St John airstrip was a graded dirt landing ground that had been constructed prior to 1938 for the Townsville Aero Club. Separated from Garbutt aerodrome, it lay on the north-western side of Mount St John and was also referred to as Saint John Zoo airstrip, after the nearby animal park.
Place information
Location
Place type
Airfield
History
The 33rd RAAF Transport Squadron was formed in Townsville on 16 February 1942 and initially used this airstrip for their twin engined DC2’s. They were later based on the northern edge of the Stock route airstrip (Dalrymple Road).
A February 1942 list of airfields shows Mount St John airstrip being 4500 feet long. In May 1942, a report on camouflage works in the Townsville area revealed:
St John Zoo - 3 men are employed at this strip erecting nets for covering 2 aircraft.
After the 33rd left Mount St John, the airfield was used for the dispersal of aircraft from the main Garbutt...
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