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Page 1: FAIRBAIRN, AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY ... AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY Base Address Fairbairn, Australian Capital Territory Base Established 1940 Region Southern New South Wales

FAIRBAIRN, AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

Base Address Fairbairn, Australian Capital Territory Base Established 1940 Region Southern New South Wales Date of Last Data Review April 2016

Description

Fairbairn was a base of the Royal Australian Air Force located approximately 6 kilometres east of central Canberra. Over the years the name of the establishment, and the use of the land, has changed. The land occupies a 103 hectare area north and east of the runways at what is currently known as Canberra International Airport.

During World War 2, the base housed three squadrons from the Netherlands East Indies Air Force and RAAF transport units, and from the mid-1960s was the home of rotary-wing training for the Australian Defence Force.

The majority of the former RAAF Base Fairbairn has been leased to the Canberra International Airport Group on a 99 year lease arrangement. All contaminated sites associated with the leased area were understood to have been remediated at the commencement of the lease arrangement.

Defence have retained areas to the east and south of the airfield.

Base Activities

The main activities include bulk storage and distribution of petrol, diesel and waste oil from above ground, and underground storage tanks. A paddock in the north eastern portion of the property was formerly used for landfilling of waste with contents likely to have included green waste and/or some municipal waste. Potential contaminations are buried metal objects including historic munitions (explosive residue and unexploded ordinance).

Contamination Information

Known Contamination

Known contamination has been remediated as part of the divestment of this property, there are no known contamination issues at the property.

©Commonwealth of Australia 2017

This work is copyright. Apart from any use permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission from the Department of Defence.

Page 2: FAIRBAIRN, AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY ... AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY Base Address Fairbairn, Australian Capital Territory Base Established 1940 Region Southern New South Wales

Risk Assessment

There are no known significant risks to human health or the environment identified on the base or on surrounding land based on environmental investigations completed to date.

Current Status

A Stage 1 desktop investigations and Stage 2 investigations to assess the quality of soil around the base has been completed.

Remediation works have also been completed around the base prior to leasing the site to the Canberra International Airport Group. Defence will conduct further intrusive investigations to confirm the adequacy of assessment and remediation works completed to date, as required.

Other Information

For further information, contact Department of Defence at [email protected].

©Commonwealth of Australia 2017

This work is copyright. Apart from any use permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission from the Department of Defence.


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