In this video, Nhill locals Max Carland and Merv Schneider recollect their experience of visiting the aeradio base during the early years of its operation.

As well, civil aviation historian Roger Meyer explains the significance of the Australia – New Guinea aeradio network and the special value of the Nhill aeradio building as a largely intact relic from this particular era in Australian aviation history.

The Nhill Aeradio Station was a part of a vital national network established in 1938 to provide critical communications and navigation support for an increasing amount of civil aircraft.

Situated at the half-way point of a direct air-route between Adelaide and Melbourne, Nhill was an ideal location for an aeradio station and was one of seventeen such facilities originally built across Australia and New Guinea by Amalgamated Wireless Australasia Ltd (AWA) under contract from the Commonwealth Government.

Development of the Nhill Aeradio Station generated considerable ongoing interest in the local community. Here members of the public inspect equipment at the public opening.

After the station became operational in 1938, planes flying between Adelaide and Melbourne were frequently diverted to land at Nhill in the event of bad weather at one of the capital city airports, and grounded aircraft also stopped for refueling immediately adjacent to the Aeradio Station.

Radio operators and associated radio technicians were assigned to work at Nhill for extended periods, and these people and their families were a valued part of the local community.

The Lorenz Beacon was the centre-piece of the navigation system at the Nhill Aeradio Station.

Originally, the beacon was mounted on top of a steel tower, but this created problems with electric static and the steel tower was soon replaced with a wooden structure.

On the right of the radio operater (possibly Max Crockett)is the Lorenz Radio Range monitor unit. The Lorenz beam was short-wave landing radio beacon that had the advantage of not being subject to atmospheric interference.

A permanent roster of Aeradio operators at Nhill worked around the clock to provide full-time communications and navigation support to aircraft flying between Melbourne and Adelaide. The radio operators and associated radio technicians and their families were a valued part of the local community.

When it commenced operating in 1938, the Nhill Aeradio Station was equipped with state-of-the-art communications equipment, much of which was designed and built in Australia by AWA.

Transmitters and receivers worked on the high-frequency (HF) range, and operators communicated with airline pilots via microphone or, when atmospheric conditions created high levels of interference, via morse-key.

The physical Aeradio buildings were more-or-less identical, as was all of the equipment provided to operate the stations. This is a standard Aeradio interior, consistent with environment and equipment at the Nhill Aeradio Station.

The original network of Aeradio Stations established in seventeen strategic locations across the main air-routes across Australia were designed and built to a standard specification.

A standard Aeradio operator’s desk console, consistent with environment and equipment at the Nhill Aeradio Station.

The stations were designed and built to a standard specification. Nhill’s identification was 'NH Nhill'.

Standard transmitter equipment, consistent with the environment and equipment at Nhill.

The physical Aeradio buildings were more-or-less identical, as was all of the equipment provided to operate the stations.

The Nhill station had a separate Power House for its generators.

Designed and built to a standard specification, the physical Aeradio buildings were more-or-less identical, as was all of the equipment provided to operate the stations.

In the largely flat, expansive landscape surrounding the town of Nhill in the Victorian Wimmera, the Aeradio beacon tower was a prominent landmark.

The Lorenz Beacon was the centre-piece of the navigation system at the Nhill Aeradio Station. Beyond the Radio Range building is the Power House building and the neon light beacon mast (identification light tower).

The Lorenz Radio Range aural beacon was replaced in 1952 with a VAR Visual Aural Range beacon.

Nhill’s Aeradio Station is today probably known by most local people as the Apex Clubrooms on the western boundary of the Aerodrome. In fact, the adoption of the building by the Nhill Apex Club was critical in preventing its likely demolition after the closure of the Aeradio facility in 1971.

When a new VHF communication network at Mt William in the Grampians rendered it obsolete and the station was decommissioned.

The building survives today in remarkably original condition, and current work is being undertaken by the Nhill Aviation Heritage Centre group to restore the Aeradio Building and interpret its story as part of a local aviation museum.