Melbourne Airport Tullamarine by Arun Chandu

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.

‘This is the book that I had no idea that I needed! Now that I’ve found it, I can’t let it go. It’s magnificent!’ Tim Ross

‘An outstanding contribution to Australia’s cultural history, superbly illustrated and brilliantly written.’ Michael Buxton

‘This is a dazzling and comprehensive account of Australia’s, indeed the world’s first purpose-built Airport City. Tullamarine (Melbourne Airport) shines here in its glory as never before. This pioneering development of the 1970s has long deserved such an intense study and Arun Chandu delivers a fascinating story of engineers, air travel, airport design, interior design and urban planning. Scholarly, engaging, rich in detail and full of stunning images, this is a must-read book for anyone interested in Australian ingenuity and the rocky romance of reaching for the skies.’ Philip Goad

Discover the story of Tullamarine, from planning and opening to its modern status as a benchmark for all international airports.

About the Author: Arun Chandu is a member of the Professional Historians’ Association and is Senior Research Fellow with the Civil Aviation Historical Society and Airways Museum. He has MBBS (Hons), BDSc, MDSc and PhD degrees and is an oral and maxillofacial surgeon. Arun is currently Honorary Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Melbourne. In his spare time, he is into a variety of different music and anything vintage, particularly Australian muscle cars.

Matt Harvey is a senior lecturer in law at Victoria University Melbourne and a practising lawyer. He holds a BA (Hons) and LLB from the University of Melbourne and a PhD on the Constitution of the European Union from Monash University. Matt has lived under the southern approach to Essendon Airport for 25 years.

01 Aug 2026
 

Melbourne Airport Tullamarine: A History by Arun Chandu ISBN 9781761170805