Brisbane Airport’s iconic new plane spotting location, Fellowship Place, has officially opened, offering aviation enthusiasts, families and photographers a purpose-built space to watch aircraft arrive and depart while celebrating the airport’s 100-year history.
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The new public viewing area, located at the end of Acacia Street within the Brisbane Airport precinct, welcomed its first visitors on Sunday, 19 July. Created as a centenary gift to Brisbane, Fellowship Place offers closer, less obstructed views of aircraft while featuring the tail of a retired Fokker F28 Fellowship aircraft that celebrates Queensland’s aviation history.
A New Home for Plane Spotters
Plane spotting has long been part of Brisbane Airport’s culture, and Fellowship Place provides a purpose-built setting with accessible features for the aviation community and the wider public.
The precinct features an elevated viewing platform that provides closer, less obstructed views of aircraft operations. Shaded seating and an accessible pathway make the space welcoming for photographers, aviation enthusiasts and families alike.
Brisbane Airport Chief Executive Officer Gert-Jan de Graaff said the project was created as a gift to the city to mark the airport’s centenary. He said Fellowship Place was designed to bring people closer to aviation while providing a place where enthusiasts could share their passion and inspire future generations of pilots, engineers and aviation professionals.
The project also involved changing the site’s land classification. The land was reclassified from restricted airfield space into an area the public can access, giving visitors a front row view of aircraft movements within the airport precinct.
A Landmark with Aviation History
Standing at the heart of Fellowship Place is the tail of a retired Fokker F28 Fellowship aircraft, creating what Brisbane Airport says is Australia’s first plane spotting area to incorporate a historic jet tail as a permanent feature.
The aircraft component was donated by Aviation Australia, where it had previously helped train more than 3,000 aircraft engineers.
Moving and installing the 50-year-old Dutch-built aircraft tail presented its own engineering challenge. Mr de Graaff said there were no handbooks explaining how best to crane and fix the ageing aircraft structure into position.
Construction of the precinct also involved placing more than 900 cubic metres of fill to create the elevated viewing platform.
Celebrating Brisbane’s Aviation Legacy
Among those welcoming Fellowship Place was long-time Brisbane plane spotter Lloyd Fox, who has spent more than 60 years documenting aircraft movements at the airport.
Mr Fox said the opening was something he never expected to see after more than six decades of plane spotting. He also said the new location brings visitors closer to the action than ever before while creating a place where families, photographers and aviation enthusiasts can enjoy the experience together.
Visitors to Fellowship Place can also explore another piece of aviation history nearby. Adjacent to the International Terminal stands the Sir Kingsford Smith Memorial, home to the historic Southern Cross aircraft. In 2028, the aircraft will mark 100 years since completing the first trans-Pacific flight linking the United States and Australia.
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Brisbane Airport said the project celebrates its history while aiming to inspire the next generation of aviation professionals. Today, the airport precinct supports around 25,000 jobs, with employment expected to double over the next two decades.
Published 20-July-2026
