During the 1930s, the growth of international air travel meant the airport became a busy refuelling point, despite its isolation and rudimentary facilities.

[3] In the early months of 1942, following the outbreak of hostilities in the Pacific against the Japanese, the airfield was used a waypoint on the "Brereton Route" for operations between Australia and Java.

The squadron made numerous attacks on Japanese shipping in the Dutch East Indies and the Bismarck Archipelago.

The original Qantas hangar still stands, housing exhibits of photographs and equipment from the area's aviation past.

[citation needed] This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency