"[Former] Dunedin mayor Stuart Sidey compared the development of the airport to Gabriel Read's discovery of gold," Dunedin deputy mayor Chris Staynes said in the Dunedin Community Gallery.
"They were equally important milestones in Otago history. The gold rush brought people from all corners of the world and Dunedin airport has done the same."
Dunedin Airport was opened on May 22, 1962, by then minister of aviation John McAlpine, to replace the Taieri Airport, which had been declared "unsafe" in 1948.
A history of the airport and Otago aviation by Dunedin author Jim Sullivan, Flight Path Dunedin, was launched at the gallery yesterday.
Dunedin had a long aviation history, including New Zealand's first balloon flight, helicopter flight and parachute jump, Mr Sullivan said.
The book has been dedicated to former Dunedin mayor and Dunedin International Airport chief executive Richard Walls, the inspiration behind the book.
He died on October 30 last year.
"Nothing would have been better than to have Richard here today," Mr Sullivan said.
Mr Wall's widow, June, attended the launch of the book at the gallery on his behalf.
"He would have been thrilled with this," Mrs Walls said.
"He was very much into the airport and aviation."
An exhibition showing a day in the life of the airport and history of airline uniforms is being held in the Dunedin Community Gallery this week, and at Dunedin International Airport from next week.
