Goulburn Airport Sale

[68volksy]

Well who could believe it - Goulburn Council actually voted not to sell the airport! The offer on the table was so full of holes it's not funny. The Council stated that the proponent did not need to own the airport to run a flying school and questioned their true intentions. Goes a step towards restoring my faith in local government!

 

Unbelievable. Those of us in the Southern Highlands Aero Club who have been working so hard to keep the airport in Council hands can finally start putting some effort into the actual Club!! Heavens - I could actually fly in my spare time again!! Can you believe it's been almost 6 months since i've left the ground under my own devices? My poor instructor probably started to fear for her life last year when my lessons turned into hour-long rants about Councillors and Council employees...

 

So many people seemed to have given up hope for the airport and here it is returned to us.

 

A huge thankyou to everybody on here for their support through this battle!!! You remained a steady source of inspiration throughout.

 

The Club is now following through on its promises to assist Council with lowering their costs. Hoping to meet with some Councillors in the next week or two and also hoping people will bring their ideas and enthusiasm to the BBQ lunch on 4 April. Our efforts will be largely focused on lawn mowing, maintenance, toilet cleaning etc. With any luck the Club will be able to say "That's our Airport". Not a bad start for a club which only started in June last year!

 

Once again thankyou to everyone on here for your support and ideas.

 

Tim.

 

 

[Guest mudjeep]

WOOHOO!!!!!!!

 

 

[slartibartfast]

Well. That outcome was definitely like the Spanish Inquisition.

 

Great result.

 

Is the BBQ really on Friday 4th?

 

 

[68volksy]

Sorry - BBQ on Saturday the 5th. At Lunchtime.

 

Thanks for that.

 

 

[Guest Flyer40]

That's great news. Can't help wondering if the recent controversy in Wollongong had anything to do with the sudden turn around. I mean since when has an inadequate tender proposal ever been an impediment to a local government?

 

 

[68volksy]

In this regard you would be happy to know that Goulburn Mulwaree Council has ICAC down here this week providing training to their staff members.

 

I'm not one to gossip...

 

 

[eastmeg2]

FANTASTIC !!!

 

That's a great result. I'll spread the good word amongst the other property-with-airstrip owner/pilots I know in the area.

 

Cheers,:big_grin:

 

Glen

 

 

[Guest airsick]

Great news. For once sanity has prevailed. Not sure how but glad it did nonetheless. Will try and make it over for the BBQ.

 

 

[shafs64]

Its Just great to see this sort of out come.

 

next time i am up that way i will drop in for a snag.

 

pat on the back to all who where helped keep the airport in the people's hands

 

Shafs:thumb_up:

 

 

[sain]

Great news, fantastic job volksy - you and your dad should be very proud of what you've achieved - not just for the club, but the entire goulburn community.

 

 

[Guest airsick]

What time is lunch Volksy? 12 - 1? Am planning on heading over to get a snag.

 

 

[68volksy]

BBQ usually fires up about 12 with things ready about 12.30 or so.

 

Hope to see you there!

 

 

[Guest airsick]

Just a quick note to say thanks to the guys over at Goulburn. We (my brother and I) flew over today and had a great time eating snags and chatting to the guys over there. We will try and make an effort to drop in on a regular basis.

 

Godd luck with the club, the airport and all things flying! :)

 

 

[motzartmerv]

dam.. i was doing intructor training and did a x country with the chieff to YGLB on friday.. the chieffs baldder doesn't last more then an hour or so , so we headed straight for the dunny's..we saw all these likely lookin characters havin a bbq under the tail of a metro..wasn't untill we taxied out that i realised it was probably you bunch...awell...next time ill insist we have to stop for a snag and a chinwagg...

 

 

[sain]

Actually I think that might have been the coporate air guys - I think they have their bbqs on fridays..

 

Ours was saturday, and you'd be most welcome next time - we normally hold them on the first saturday of the month.

 

It was good to see everybody there, and have a look at Airsick's pipstrel (though I didn't realise it was airsick at the time..). Interesting aircraft that.

 

 

[slartibartfast]

Sorry I couldn't make it. Saturday was wife day so I could fly to the BBQ at Adaminaby yesterday.

 

I took a friend of my step-daughter for the ride. He is in the RAAF desperately working to be a pilot, and had only had 1 hour in a cessna before this. He loved it, and I did my bit for the future of our country.

 

Next time.

 

 

[eastmeg2]

I did manage to fly in, and wore my NT Floppy hat, as promised.

 

 

[Bluehawktechnologies]

Greetings

 

I noticed your forum when I was searching for information about Goulburn Airport.

 

As you are aware the airfield is currently offered for sale.

 

I am one company looking into purchasing the airfield to use as a "home base".

 

The information I have recieved from Ken Wheeldon is.

 

*The expenditure for them to maintain the airfield costs approximately $70,000 per year and approximately $30,000 income received per year does this sound about right ?

 

*That capital works are required in the near future in regards to

 

a.Reseal bitumen runway and taxiways

 

b.Drainage improvements to the main car park area and access road

 

 

 

Now I am interested in the airfield for use by my company but I have no intention to deny operators the use of the airfield.

 

 

 

If my company is successful in our tender I would like to try and get all operators of the airfield to have a meeting to see how we could keep costs down.

 

 

 

I am not sure if I am allowed to post a link to my company's website as to show you what kind of business I run.

 

http://www.bluehawktechnologies.com/privatemilitary/

 

 

 

Regards

 

Paolo Von Hindmarsh

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[68volksy]

Hi Paolo,

 

Thanks for getting in touch.

 

The Aero Club has accepted the airport will most likely be sold. The clubs primary purpose is the promotion of General and Ultralight Aviation in the Southern Highlands region. As such we have conceded that it is in our best interests to work with any future owner to this end.

 

Your question about costs has been a point of contention between the Aero Club and Council for many years. They have provided no justification for or reliable breakdown of any cost figures they quote. From what I and other users can gather the primary cost at the airport would be the mowing of the grass. I personally feel that $70,000 is entirely ridiculous. Other major costs would include the maintenance of the runway lighting and the weekly airport inspections. I also know that the Council includes between $6k and $30k of the Director of Engineering's salary in the total cost figures depending on who you ask. If you sought a quote from a contractor for the mowing of the airport (4-6 times a year) you would have the majority of the outgoings. I would expect the inspections and management would be very minor undertakings if you had a base at the airport. My gut tells me the airport should not cost more than $30k per year and about 2 hours per week to run. The income side of the equation is much more reliable and consists primarily of landing fees and runway hire (car clubs use it as a drag strip occasionally - this is an income stream I feel could be increased substantially with a small amount of marketing).

 

The Aero Club offered several times to undertake all the mowing, inspection and maintenance activities. We made this offer in writing and asked only that Council provide the necessary equipment and consumables (tractor, slasher and diesel primarily). We were to provide all Labour free and were to arrange insurance to cover club members. The Council knocked us back on each occasion. We would be more than willing to negotiate a mutually beneficial arrangement with any future owner also. We have over 50 members currently, many retired, who are more than willing to offer their time, services and knowledge in order to have an airport they can continue to call "theirs".

 

Regarding the capital works we as a club feel the runway resealing is more of a luxury than a necessity. As our members are entirely General Aviation and Ultralight enthusiasts we use the grass runway primarily. The latest CASA inspection found the bitumen runway to be fine and I have not heard any real complaints about its condition from fellow pilots. The people making the decisions at Council have no experience in aviation whatsoever and have constantly discounted our pleading that the grass runway is our preferred runway.

 

The drainage improvements have been largely undertaken by Council as of last week. They are still to seal the parking lot and we hope they do this before the first decent rain washes all the dirt and gravel down their brand new drain. The parking lot is a public road however so it seems very odd that Ken Wheeldon is quoting that a future airport owner would have to fix it. It is and always has been Councils road and therefore Councils responsibility.

 

I don't know how long you have been involved in the possible sale but in case you are unaware the Council has made clear they already have a proposed purchaser in mind. They have set the reserve price after lengthy discussions with the proposed purchaser. Unfortunately we can't nail down exactly who this might be. I can also say that the reserve is most likely very close to the value that was put on it by the Valuer General. You should be able to get a copy of this valuation I think. From memory the value was around $1.75 million. That's the nuts and bolts of the politics anyway.

 

As far as i am aware you are the only possible purchaser of the airport who has shown any interest in the local users and for that I would like to thank you once again. If you would like further information I would be very happy to talk further. You can email me at [email protected] and I can provide a phone number if necessary.

 

Regards,

 

Tim Allen.

 

 

[68volksy]

I have just spoken with our president Teraya Miller and she is free to talk to you also. Teraya runs the flying school at the airport alongside working for CASA and has been a stalwart at the airport for 15 years.

 

Her email is [email protected].

 

 

[Bluehawktechnologies]

Thank you for your positive remarks and assistance.

 

68volksy I have sent you and email along with my phone number as well.

 

The email to teraya.miller bounced so I am not sure what has occurred there.

 

I am not sure if Ray Ekinci is still at Goulburn Airport

 

If he does I would be interested in what he thinks is the condition of the sealed runways for Jets and medium sized aircraft.

 

As for your ideas of maintaining the airfield I have to agree these are great ideas

 

If I can gain enough support from locals and operators alike,we can secure the future of the airfield and operations alike.

 

If you know of any other persons I should talk to just say

 

 

[soilmaster]

Goulburn Airport - NO SALE

 

This is a copy of the letter to Goulburn Council that I sent last week. There is to be a story in the Goulburn Post as well.

 

The Mayor and the Council of Goulburn Mulwaree,

 

Goulburn Mulwaree Council,

 

Bourke Street,

 

GOULBURN NSW 2580

 

Goulburn Airport 20th October 2008

 

1. The data provided to prospective purchasers does not provide clear title to the land.

 

This includes:

 

 Outstanding matters with the Commonwealth of Australia;

 

 Ownership transfers from Poidevins;

 

 Interference of the Deed in any transfer;

 

 Planning requirements of Council by Deed.

 

The reference to the 1963 Johnson & Sendall search of title does not substantiate the title transfer between the Poidevin family in the period 1935 to 1939.

 

The late 1930’s transfer has a codicil, which says that the land goes ONLY to Council to operate as an airport for all time.

 

The land is a community asset, which is similar to the local parks and ovals. Whether council could sell off the areas already sold is another matter. However, these do not directly impinge on the

 

Council saying this is “operational landâ€, and can then be sold, has no foundation in truth, due to Council accepting money from the Commonwealth and undertaking to do certain things. These deeds are permanent, as the underlying agreement cannot be altered or re-directed. In fact there are issues that are not complete from the deed.

 

2. The Commonwealth deed for Council has some serious obligations for Council as a planning body. These obligations cannot be transferred to a third party.

 

Council, in its contract (at 39.1.2.4) does not fully describe the deed’s intent and direction for “fair and equitable†access.

 

The first attempted sale fell over on this basis alone.

 

3. The deed requires the owner and operator to be able to protect the airport in perpetuity by implementing adequate and proper planning.

 

This cannot be done by a body that does not have “planning approval†to protect the airport from surrounding activities. An example would be a house application immediately adjacent to the airport to Council.

 

There is a difference in an airport, which has part of it’s operational area outside the physical perimeter in comparison to a house, which is confined by it’s perimeter completely. The surrounding area requires active intervention in a planning sense by an owner, in this case, Goulburn Mulwaree council.

 

A separate operator could not stop this, which would then reduce the ability of the airport to be used as such.

 

This airport falls under the planning provisions of the local Council, not as with Bankstown, the Federal Government planning regulations.

 

Further, in a letter from Minister on 3/8/2000, Council was instructed that it must satisfactorily address all issues

 

4. Council cannot and should not sell the airport, but start to take proper decisions, listen to the community and manage properly.

 

5. I also bring to your attention, matters that have been raised and remain un-resolved (see letter of 2nd July 2004 and May 2004 and 14th July 2002), which include:

 

 AVDATA safety issues;

 

 Failure by Council to provide un-fettered access;

 

 Width of runway issues;

 

 Safety/ suitability of runways for normal operations;

 

 Safety/ suitability of taxiways for normal operations;

 

 PAL lighting issues;

 

 Non-aviation use;

 

 VFR and IFR issues.

 

We require these matters to be properly addressed and Council made aware of their legal responsibility for the airport – now, in the past and in the future. Council cannot abrogate their moral, legal or community responsibilities in this matter.

 

It is essential that we have this asset working well and into the future to provide a resource for all the people of Goulburn.

 

Other airports work well, such as Wagga Wagga and Cootamundra, without Councils attempting to sell them. Wagga has a vibrant usage group, which is encouraged by the City, allowing four landings each month without charge (Goulburn is a per landing arrival, with people trying to avoid a charge).

 

At the moment, a visiting aircraft to Goulburn - of 1500 kg total operating weight, would be charged for a weeks visit, $46 for take off and landing and $ 23/ night some $204 for a week. A great way to encourage use.

 

At Cairns, this would cost just $ 43 and allow parking on a hard stand area, not on grass. A great way to encourage business.

 

This can happen in Goulburn as well, but will not, until the spectre of the removal of the airport from reasonable usage by the community is removed.

 

It should be noted that Council’s data shows some $35 000 of income from movements. If this is placed with $ 15 000 from local aircraft, there is $ 20 000 generated from visitors. This is 1650 per annum or around 5 movements per day. This brings some $ 250 to $ 500 per movement, where people are encouraged to stay in Goulburn. So where we discourage a visit, or there is just one stopping/ day, some $ 150 000 would be generated for fuel sales, motels, meals, car hire, repairs etc. Thus the Wagga model is very attractive.

 

The airport also gives access for air-ambulance, policing functions, fire-fighting and a huge range of other uses. It is not a minority of people that use the airport, but a range of people who visit, spend money and develop opportunities for our community.

 

R. W Cumming 20/10/2008

 

 

[soilmaster]

Goulburn Airport - Damage to Surface

 

Have a look at this - completely inn appropriate

 

YouTube - Goulburn Airport. Drag, Drift & Burnouts

 

AND Council allow this :hittinghead:

 

 

[Bluehawktechnologies]

We pulled out of the auction with Colliers because of the following:

 

* Lack of solid title to the land

 

(no one could give us a solid answer to the questions about the title)

 

* The over inflated price expectations

 

( who would pay over $1.5m to have a dept of over $90,000/year )

 

* they valued the price of land as if it is rural land, issue is you can not do anything with the land other that keep it as an airport.

 

* The fact no structures were included in the sale

 

( all you get is the runways,taxiways and the lighting )

 

* they stated that there was approval for more aircraft hangars

 

( turned out you still had to pay council for the approvals )

 

* and all the "you must do" in the contracts

 

If they were more realistic in price and gave solid answers/ title we would have no issues.

 

The airfield needs to be better run and to place aviators above administrators.

 

Simple math

 

the more pilots = more planes, more planes = more tourists, more tourists = more money for local businesses

 

My company wished to setup one of our facilities at Goulburn Airport ( we are currently setting up three within NSW) and our aim was not to interfere with current air activity but encourage it to grow.

 

I do not know if it sold within the auction or not.

 

PS. I have not posted for a little while because I forgot the password

 

 

[Bluehawktechnologies]

Have a look at this - completely inn appropriateYouTube - Goulburn Airport. Drag, Drift & Burnouts

 

AND Council allow this :hittinghead:

Yes I have to agree its and airfield not a race track.