Sunshine Coast Airport is an Australian airport serving Sunshine Coast, Queensland. It is the gateway to holiday destinations such as Noosa, Maroochydore, Mooloolaba and Caloundra. There are direct daily flights to Sydney and Melbourne, with frequent connecting flights to both domestic and international ports. In addition, Air New Zealand serves the city seasonally, with two turning into three weekly return flights from Maroochydore to Auckland.The Sunshine Coast Airport is situated at Marcoola 10 km north of Maroochydore, and is owned, operated, managed and developed by the Sunshine Coast Regional Council, which assumed the powers of the former Shire of Maroochy. It is the principal airport for the Sunshine Coast and is the only airport in the region capable of servicing jet aircraft operations.HistoryThe Queensland Government granted a parcel of land to the Maroochy Shire Council in 1958 for use as a general aviation airstrip. The first test landing on a grass strip was on 16 August 1959. The airstrip was initially used by the Maroochy Aero Club and Queensland Parachute Club. Maroochy Shire Council funded the construction of a sealed runway, suitable for aircraft up to the Fokker F27 Friendship, which opened on 12 August 1961. With the commencement of regular public transport services, the airstrip was renamed Maroochydore Airport. Lights for night landings were provided in 1974.
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