An airport was established on the existing site in 1927 and controlled by the civil authorities until 1940, when responsibility passed to the Department of Air. From 1940 it was used by civil aircraft under the terms of a Joint User Agreement between the Department of Civil Aviation (and its successors) and the Department of Defence. In 1989 the Federal Airports Corporation (FAC) assumed control of the civil (or western side of the Airport) under a Crown Lease arrangement with the Commonwealth.