Defence Infrastructure Division

Defence Aviation Areas

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Part 11A of the Defence Regulations, 2016 provides a legal framework for controlling activities which may be dangerous to aviation around twelve declared Defence Aviation Areas (DAA). The Defence Regulations can be downloaded at https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2018C00183.

The DAA replace the Defence (Areas Control) Regulations 1989 (DACR) which were repealed on 25 March 2018 but closely replicate the controls available to Defence under the DACR.

The regulations apply to permanent structures such as buildings and communication towers, and temporary structures such as cranes within approximately 15 kilometres of DAA. Vegetation, including trees and plants used for landscaping, and gas plumes emanating from an exhaust stack are also covered. The regulations also apply to any object hazardous to aircraft or aviation-related communications, navigation or surveillance regardless of whether the DAA height controls are triggered.

Maps attached to each DAA declaration for each declared Defence Aviation Area show the heights at which proposed structures need to be referred to Defence for approval.  The table, below, contains links to a high resolution map and the DAA declarations for twelve Defence establishments.

Declared Defence Aviation Area	Link to declaration	Link to high resolution map
HMAS Albatross	https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2018L00341	PDF - 0.3MB
Army Aviation Centre, Oakey	https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2018L00339	PDF - 4.4MB
RAAF Base Amberley	https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2018L00333	PDF - 9.7MB
Beermullah Remote ILS	https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2018L00338	PDF - 1.8MB
RAAF Base Darwin	https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2018L00340	PDF - 7.1MB
RAAF Base East Sale	https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2018L00344	PDF - 3.4MB
RAAF Base Edinburgh	https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2018L00332	PDF - 14.4MB
RAAF Base Learmonth	https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2018L00356	PDF - 1.3MB
RAAF Base Pearce	https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2018L00357	PDF - 4.6MB
RAAF Base Scherger	https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2018L00353	PDF - 0.9MB
RAAF Base Tindal	https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2018L00354	PDF - 1.7MB
RAAF Base Townsville	https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2018L00334	PDF - 8.8MB

Applying for approval

Developers and statutory planning authorities should review the relevant DAA map to determine whether a property is affected by DAA regulations.  If the height of a planned structure exceeds the trigger height for the area, the project must be referred to Defence for approval before construction commences.

Once an application is received, Defence conducts an assessment that includes consideration of safety criteria, consultation with Army, Navy and Air Force, Airservices Australia, flight path planners and other airport users, amongst others.  An application normally takes up to two months to assess, as consultation needs to occur with a wide range of civilian and military stakeholders.

A DAA application needs to be accompanied by sufficient information to allow Defence and stakeholders to understand the possible impact on aviation safety.  This includes:

• a brief description of the proposal;
• the street address and legal description of the subject site;
• a plan showing the proposed structure’s location in relation to the property boundaries and natural ground levels;
• plans and elevations of the proposed structures showing the maximum height including any lights, antennas, lightning protection and electrical equipment in both Australian Height Datum (AHD) and Above Ground Level (AGL) formats;
• geographical co-ordinates (latitude and longitude) for the development; and
• if cranes are to be used, the location and height information for the crane.

Applications should be emailed to dsrgidep.executivesupport@defence.gov.au