From the 1920s, military aviation associated with the Australian Air Force has played a major role in the history of the municipality.  Much of this activity has related to the establishment of Air Force bases at Point Cook and Laverton, ‘two of the best known in Australia and (that) have an important place not only in the history of the Shire, but also in the history of the Commonwealth of Australia’.

A paddock, located on the Staughtons’ Eynesbury property west of Werribee River, was used as a bombing range by the RAAF during the Second World War.  A map of the lands in the Eynesbury Woodhouse Pastoral Company estate, supplied by John Todd, shows the bombing range, 180 acres located west of the Werribee River and east of Mt. Mary Road.  The quadrant huts associated with the range were located at three points: opposite Cobbledicks’ Ford Road in Crown Allotment A, Section XX, Parish of Werribee; at the end of Mt. Mary Road in Crown Allotment B, Section XXIV, Parish of Werribee; and in Crown Allotment A, Section XXIV, Parish of Werribee.  The first two huts were located south of the creek and the third was north of the creek.  The site of the quadrant huts was marked by Jack Smith, who lived just across the River.