While the history of aviation can be traced back for centuries from hot air lanterns in ancient China through Leonardo da Vinci’s 15th century designs to the rapid developments and discoveries that earmarked the early 20th century for its progressiveness in discovering modes to make flying a reality, the period from 1903 to 1914 was known to be the Pioneer Era where a number of enthusiasts focused their energies on developing on the discoveries made by the Wright brothers. Aviation rapidly became an important element in the two major wars of the 20th century and the momentum subsequently resulted in the establishment of commercial airflights and exploration of space using similar technology. Aviation in the 21st century has become extremely important and has bridged the physical distances between countries and continents in a significant manner. Furthermore, it is not uncommon for aviation and airports to share civilian and defence characteristics simultaneously and the Townsville International Airport is one such example for the airport shares access with the RAAF Base in the city.

For those visiting this Australian city, Townsville hotels can be accessed through the Airport and for those visiting Townsville as tourists, the sightseeing begins at the airport. Having been redeveloped in 2002, the airport opened with an ‘Open Day’ that allowed residents to explore the new interior and marvel at its modern design. Given that hotels such as Oaks Getaway on Palmer are a mere ten minutes away, exploring the airport is a breeze. Complete with a domestic and international terminal, the airport is equipped with a number of departure lounges and a Qantas Club.

The Townsville Airport billed to be the 11th busiest airport in Australia and is used heavily during relief efforts. The operation of the airport in this capacity was seen during Cyclone Larry that made landfall in 2006.

Pushpitha Wijesinghe is an experienced independent freelance writer. He specializes in providing a wide variety of content and articles related to the travel hospitality industry.

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