Airports with cafes/restaurants/places of interest

[Mazda]

I'd love to get a list together of good places to go for a cup of coffee, lunch, or with places of interest near the airport. If it needs a taxi to get somewhere, please say so! Does anyone have suggestions?

 

Places like Wollongong (has a restaurant in the terminal), Moruya (right on the beach) etc.

 

 

[Guest kylep]

Cessnock has a good cafe at the Visitor Info center. Taxy up to the parking and a 2 min walk to the cafe.

 

Old bar has a good cafe / take away just next to the beach.

 

Armidale does a good coffee.

 

Ballina is ok too. Gold Coast.

 

Kyle

 

 

[Matt]

Merimbula is one of our regular trips, it's a nice 10-15 minute walk into the main street (or short taxi ride) or the beach. The cafe at the airport terminal also has a great selection of food and drinks - they make great toasted sandwiches.

 

Other regular destinations for us:

 

• Wagga - cafe at the terminal is reasonably good.
   
   
  
• The Oaks - on a Saturday one of the many lovely folks there will normally run us into the main street for a feed.
   
   
  
• Nowra - there's the Naval Aviation Museum which has also has a cafe.
   
   
  
• Wollongong - there's the great restaurant plus the HARS museum.
   
   
  
• Temora - brilliant musuem and a short taxi ride into town. There's food and drinks available on flying days.
   
  

 

Like Mazda we're always on the lookout for new destinations, keen to hear if there's any other great places to drop in.

 

 

[Mazda]

Thanks!! Keep them coming if you can think of more, this is great!

 

Maitland airport has a swimming pool and a bar (well, it did last time I was there a few years ago). Obviously the bar is for people who have finished flying!

 

If anyone is flying into Bathurst drop in to Ward Air and Salli-Ann might make you a cappuccino and give you a home baked biscuit!

 

Anyone planning an outback trip might want to consider Arkaroola (Flinders Ranges SA). It has a strip, and the owner of the place (Doug Sprigg) has a C207 and an Auster. He loves all aviators and will look after you (including picking you up). Arkaroola has camping to motel type rooms, a pool, good restaurant, and two observatories!

 

There's an airstrip right at the Dig Tree.

 

If you fly to the Corner Store (corner country) you have to taxi on to the road and go to the car park!

 

The Phillip Island airstrip is close the track if anyone is going down for the MotoGP (I probably will - probably via Merimbula).

 

 

[Guest Flyer40]

About a month ago we checked out the Blue Wren winery/restaurant at Mudgee. It's about a three minute walk with a path leading through the vineyard from the airport gate.

 

You can eat alfresco or inside by the fire if it's cold. The food was good but wifey wasn't keen on the wine.

 

 

[Guest Ken deVos]

Tooradin has a great restaurant on the field (went there last night)

 

 

 

Cobden airfield is only a short walk from the township

 

 

 

Tyabb, same as Cobden and ...

 

 

 

 

Try the Asses Ears Lodge in the Grampians http://www.assesearslodge.com.au/

 

 

[IanR]

At Birdsville you can park across the road from the pub !

 

Wagga used to have a hamburger shop - not sure if its still there at the terminal

 

 

[Ben Longden]

Shepparton;

 

The Aero club is open seven days, and has filtered coffee (almost on tap) and welcomes visitors 7days a week. Great restaurants, great coffee shops.

 

Echuca; A five minute taxi ride to the worlds largest working paddlesteamer fleet at the historic wharf. More restaurants than you can poke a stick at, plus great coffee shops and bakeries, including The Beechworth Bakery.

 

Ben

 

 

[dreemhi]

Haven't been there for about two years but the cafe at fighterworld, Williamtown, used to serve some good food plus you get to rub shoulders with the fighter boys and you'r right at the end of the main runway.

 

David

 

 

[slartibartfast]

This list is a great idea! Keep them coming. I plan to work through them all.

 

I can vouch for some of those mentioned - Mudgee, Merimbula, Moruya, MmmThe Oaks, but I can't add any new ones. Except maybe Taree. If you drop in there, Garry Morgan may let you make your own crappy instant coffee with powdered milk.

 

Maybe.

 

 

[Mazda]

Matt, are you formation rated? It could be fun flying into places with a CT/4 and Victa.

 

 

[Matt]

Hey Mazda, not formation endorsed yet but it's on the list of things to do...along with aerobatics of course :). There's a few comments about formation endorsement in another thread talking about the cost if you're getting it by yourself - paying for 2 aircraft and instructors. Might see if the local training establishment has any students interested in getting this endorsement.

 

Might have to make the trip to Camden one day and catch up, for whatever reason we've never been there. Any good food / coffee providers at Camden?

 

 

[Barefootpilot]

Shute Harbour is a has a nice cafe good food and a caravan park right next door. Or there is always someone around to get you into town. But beware of windy conditions lots of turblance and down drafts not for the rag a tube on days like that.

 

 

[Mazda]

Matt, I've sent you a PM!

 

There are good places at Camden but not at the airport unfortunately, so you need to get a lift into town (not far, you could walk). There are lots of cafes etc on the main street, the Della something is my choice, but it isn't open on Sundays. A bit further out of town there's a great Tudor style English pub with an open fire, lovely gardens and good food. You'd need a lift (or taxi) to get there though.

 

 

[Guest brentc]

Matt, a question if I may? If you are not formation endorsed, then how did you get the picture taken in your avatar that clearly shows you and better half in your aircraft with you at the controls? A powerful zoom lens perhaps?

 

 

[Ben Longden]

Photoshop, mate...... Solves that problem.... :big_grin:

 

Yarawonga; I called in there one day and the owner of the plane painting company and his team were tops... very welcoming for a flyer on his first solo navex.

 

Ben

 

 

[Mazda]

I'd say that was flying "in company" rather than formation, and using a telephoto or zoom lens.

 

I've thought of another one. Dunwich on North Stradbroke Island has regular fly-in breakfasts held there. They also have caravans on site for people flying in and staying on the island, at very reasonable rates. The caretaker is friendly and I'm sure he'd take you to the ferry/bus stop. From there you could get the ferry across to Cleveland and walk into town (or get a bus) for restaurants etc or a train into Brisbane. There's a great restaurant and pub at Cleveland Point, right on the water, with everything from french champagne down to take away fish and chips.

 

Or you could stay on the island and get the bus to the other side of the island, with fantastic long white sandy beaches and boardwalks where you can see the dolphins in the surf or whales offshore. Fantastic.

 

 

[Aussie Steve]

Katoomba NSW YKAT

 

Katoomba strip has access to some of the best cafes,resturants and guest houses in the state.

 

You can call a taxi from the Airfield and visit

 

THE HYDRO MAJESTIC

 

http://www.hydromajestic.com.au/ only 5 mins away.

 

BLACKHEATH VILLAGE http://www.bluemts.com.au/tourist/towns/blackheath.asp 10 mins drive

 

HARROW COTTAGES BLACKHEATH

 

http://www.bluemountainsonline.com.au/bmo/home.nsf/(webpageslistingframes)/hhae5ms6pj.html Mention that your flying in via Katoomba Airfield and Steve Riley sent you, and you`ll get a discount (my brother) ;)

 

Or you can just fly in and grab free cuppa at the Airfield. Ph ahead.

 

Details in ERSA

 

Theres some "Spectacular" vistas from the area that only us flyers can truly experience. Fly on up, and get some fresh air.

 

 

 

[Guest JRMobile]

Ballina, Port Macquarie, Armidale, Bundaberg - all have restaurants in the terminal. Longreach in the museum has a great buffet/cafe. Charleville has a small cafe right next to the fuel bowers (dont know about the coffee)

 

 

[Guest High Plains Drifter]

Came across this site - www.fly2lunch.com

 

Birdsville is my pick - within 100 metres of where you park your plane and a Pub to boot.

 

HPD

 

 

[crazy diamond]

Ham, Cheese and Tomato sanger at YARM is tops!

 

 

[blueshed]

Aldinga has good coffee, and a great feed, just a little south of Adelaide, The other is Rawnsley Park in the Flinders Ranges ( not far from Arkaroola), approx 1.5 km walk to the woolshed restaraunt, took the wife there for our last Aniversery. Pitty had two children with us!

 

Cheers Guy

 

 

[Guest RogerRammedJet]

Halls Creek!

 

50 m walk to a nice pub and a great lunch.

 

 

[IanR]

Matt, are you formation rated? It could be fun flying into places with a CT/4 and Victa.

Mazda, just saw this post - formation is fun whatever you fly !! Have been doing it for many years and never stop enjoying it. Am planning a Sydney Harbour formation at the moment with a motorised glider, C152 and 3 C172 - that will be interesting.

 

 

[Guest AusDarren]

Wings & Fins at Tooradin Vic is an excellent resturant, and its only a 15 min hop from Moorabbin.

 

West Sale also has a resturant on field, though I am yet to visit it.

 

Regards,

 

AusDarren