Making its debut at this year’s NBAA annual convention is the brand-new Australian FBO Melbourne Jet Base (Booth 848). The $71 million (AU$100 million) facility established by businessman Paul Little at the city’s Tullamarine Airport opened earlier this month, raising the bar for service providers Down Under and beyond.

Open 24/7, it features in-house customs and quarantine processing, with the option to be cleared onboard the aircraft; a grand foyer and private luxury passenger retreat lounges; business suites; spa services; an underground car park; two conference rooms; dining lounge with VIP catering; a crew rest area and lounge; prayer room; flight planning room; crew car; concierge; office space; porte-cochere; and planeside car access. Limousine and helicopter transfers are available as well.

“By providing a destination that facilitates private aviation travel in such an exceptional way, we hope to see an influx of global VIPs visiting Australia to experience all we have to offer,” said Little.

The location also offers aircraft maintenance and cleaning, with a five-bay narrowbody hangar and a two-bay widebody hangar large enough to accommodate an Airbus A380. A separate dedicated hangar displays Little’s fully restored DC-3 Kanana, one of the first of the type to be operated in the country. The facility has room to store approximately 18 business jets and has 619,000 sq ft (57,500 sq m) of ramp space.

Through an agreement with a local fuel provider, the location also operates its own 7,900-gallon (30,000-liter) jet-A refueler.