A safer community

The Apollo Bay Aero Club Inc. (ABAC) was established to support the safe and sustainable future of Apollo Bay Airfield and to work constructively with the government authority responsible for the airfield, the Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority (GORCAPA).

Our focus is practical: to assist with the remediation and ongoing safety of the airfield so that it can provide a safe, accessible and useful facility for emergency services, aerial firefighting, general aviation, recreational pilots and aviation operators.

Aviation has been part of Apollo Bay's history for nearly a century. Gliders took part in celebrations marking the official opening of the Great Ocean Road in 1932, and records show an established Apollo Bay airstrip being used by the early 1940s. Over subsequent decades, the airfield has supported local and general aviation, agricultural operations, scenic and charter flying and emergency services. Colac Otway Shire sealed the runway in 2005–06, and management of the airfield transferred to GORCAPA in 2023.

The Otways bushfires of early 2026 reinforced the importance of aviation to emergency response in our region and were an important catalyst for the formation of ABAC. They also highlighted the value of maintaining Apollo Bay Airfield so that emergency services have as many safe and practical operational options as possible. In a rapidly developing emergency, reducing travel and response time can make a meaningful difference.

ABAC is therefore working with GORCAPA to support practical remediation and safety measures that help maintain the airfield as a safe, resilient and useful community asset, while continuing to support the pilots and operators who use it.

Entrance sign for Apollo Bay Airfield with a gravel road leading to a pink building, parked cars, and a windsock against a partly cloudy sky and green foliage background.

A look back at the Airfield’s entrance.

Logo for Apollo Bay Aero Club featuring an illustration of a helicopter and a stylized mountain, with text indicating 'Apollo Bay Aero Club' and the tagline 'More than flying – a safer community.'

A club for everyone

We are a not-for-profit incorporated body made up of unpaid volunteers. Our members are pilots and community members who share a passion for aviation and how it can make our community safer.

Your Committee

Brendan Reidy - President

Pauli Saario - Treasurer

Gerard McMahon - Secretary

Ross Higgins - Committee

Simon Kinnersly - Committee

Please visit our membership page to find out more about joining the club!

A small airplane flying low over a runway during sunset.

What we do

We are a member-run club that constructively advocates and works with the airfield operator (GORCAPA) to provide a safer and more effective infrastructure asset to the Apollo Bay community. We achieve this by;

  • Providing solutions rather than problems

  • Bringing our aviation expertise and experience to the team at GORCAPA

  • Encouraging fly-neighbourly practices to our members and visiting pilots, both on our website and in CASA publications

  • Being transparent and honest in everything we do

Join today - download Membership Application Form >>