The base was constructed in 1943 by the
Royal Australian Air Force as RAAF Base Oakey. It was a training facility, for
No. 6 Aircraft Depot and an overflow aircraft maintenance depot for
RAAF Base Amberley. It stored surplus aircraft after the war. In July 1968, the Australian Army Aviation Corps was formed, with the Department of Civil Aviation aerodrome at Oakey transferred to Army control in July 1969 for the Corps base. The 6 Aviation Squadron (Reconnaissance) relocated from
RAAF Amberley. Army Aviation units were raised, including the Headquarters Army Aviation Centre to control the airfield, and the Army Aviation Centre Base Squadron. In 2006, a disbandment parade was held at Oakey for the last independent RAEME Workshop. In 2009, the
173rd Aviation Squadron ceased operations at Oakey, transferring the unit's
Beechcraft King Air 350s to the
RAAF. In 2010, with the realignment of the Army Chain of Command, the base units of the Army Aviation Training Centre came under the control and responsibility of the Army Forces Command. In 2021, the Army Aviation Training Centre transferred from Forces Command to the newly established
Army Aviation Command. In 2021, the Australian
5th Aviation Regiment and Singaporean
127 Squadron formed Multinational Task Group Chinook, with each providing 3
CH-47F Chinook (a total of 6) in support of the
2021–2022 eastern Australia floods. Aircraft flew daily sorties in support of flood affected areas such as
Lismore,
Murwillumbah and
Ballina by transporting food, water, personnel and construction equipment. In April 2024 110
fire ant nests were detected at the base. This infestation raised concerns as it was one of the first times that the insects had been detected in the
Murray-Darling Basin system. ==Units==