Whispers of fighter planes and the roar of engines still echo in the breeze across Whalan Reserve. This seemingly ordinary park holds a thrilling past. It was once Mount Druitt Aerodrome.
During World War II, this land was vital. The Royal Australian Air Force used it as a landing ground. Imagine aircraft hangars and workshops bustling with activity where you stand now. This was a dispersal field, a place for training, repairs, and salvage. The first RAAF guard dog unit even called this place home. Back then, it wasn’t yet known as Whalan.
After the war, the aerodrome transformed. It became a storage facility for the United States Army Air Forces. Over 10,000 500lb bombs were placed upon the landing strip.
The runway stretched roughly north to south, right through the heart of what is now Whalan Reserve. In the early 1950s, the Australian Racing Drivers Club saw an opportunity. They incorporated part of the old runway into the Mt Druitt race track.
Picture this. Cars speeding along the old airstrip. The Mt Druitt race track was initially a 1.5-mile “hot dog” style circuit with tight turns. Later, it expanded using a privately-owned paddock. The full course measured up to 3.6 kilometers. Imagine the excitement. The roar of engines, the cheers of the crowd.
The dream of racing glory was short-lived. Land ownership disputes brought it all to an abrupt end. In 1958, an excavator cut a trench across the track. The trench is still visible today as a drainage ditch.
Racing continued in other forms. A BMX track emerged to the northeast. Coincidentally, an “on road” RC model car racing group uses one of the tennis courts as a circuit.
Today, Whalan Reserve offers soccer fields and football fields. There are smaller parks dotted around this leafy suburb. RAAF Park stands on the eastern boundary. It serves as a memorial to the RAAF camp. The main road into Whalan Reserve follows the line of the old runway.
So, as you enjoy Whalan Reserve, remember its layered history. What was once a hive of wartime activity became a racetrack and then a public space. The spirit of innovation and recreation continues. Whalan Reserve offers something for everyone. It is a community hub built on a foundation of remarkable stories.