Head to the end of the aptly named Bristol Street after the famed Bristol Aeroplane Company, and you’ll reach Burns Street, a tribute to the iconic Jean Burns and Australia’s youngest female pilot and parachuter. In the northern end of Essendon Fields around the automotive precinct you’ll find Earhart Street, a nod to Amelia Earhart, the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. A trip to the Airways Museum will take you down Edgar Johnston Lane, after the Superintendent of Aerodromes who selected the site of our airport in 1921.

In keeping with Essendon Fields acknowledging its rich aviation history, a new laneway bearing the name of Sir Ivan Holyman (1896-1957) has now been declared, after the co-founder of Holyman’s Airways, one of the earliest tenants of Essendon Airport.

“We are proud to name this lane Holyman Lane, providing a lasting acknowledgement to Sir Ivan Holyman’s contribution to Essendon Fields Airport and Australian Civil Aviation history,’’ said Brad Evans, Essendon Fields’ Planning Manager.

Forming Holyman’s Airways with his brothers, the company amalgamated with several airlines over the 1930s, cumulating in the creation of Australian National Airways (ANA) in 1936.

ANA became the dominant airline in Australian civil aviation in the 1930s, and Ivan Holyman commissioned architect Howard Garnet Alsop to construct Australia’s largest hangar at the time for ANA, which opened at Essendon Airport in 1936. The building was the primary ANA hangar and terminal in Australia and introduced to Australia air hostesses, free flight-meals and the automatic insurance of passengers.

ANA House still stands today at 230 Wirraway Road, Essendon Fields, and the previously unnamed laneway services the south side of this iconic building.

Today the building is home to a range of tenants such as Australia’s largest indoor trampoline park Bounce, the Royal Melbourne Hospital, RiseJet aviation services, Laurel Property Group, and two additional refurbished office spaces currently for lease.

“This laneway will assist largely with wayfinding, providing the Royal Melbourne Hospital an opportunity to more accurately advise the location of their ambulance parking,” said Mr Evans.

The new laneway name was welcomed by the grandson of the famous Australian aviator, who shares the same name as his grandfather, Ivan D Holyman.

“We are very proud of my grandfathers accomplishments, including being instrumental, together with his brother Victor, in the formation of Holyman Airways,’’ Mr Holyman said.

“I’d like to thank Essendon Fields for this honour,’’ he said.