Torquay Airfield

[Coop]

Planning is under way for our trip to Tassie in March. I'll be coming past Torquay on my way to Tyabb, so thought I'd take a look at it on Google Earth. I was pretty sure I found the right airfield- distance and bearing from Torquay township was about right, and some of the features matched. But the layout of the airfield, as it appeared on Google Earth seemed different from what I read in the 2009 AOPA airfield guide, or the Vic and Tas country airfield guide (13th Edition, 2006). According to AOPA, there were 2 runways aligned 18/36, with the Eastern one shorter than the western one. Yet the scene from GE shows one very long marked runway, although there is an area of grass to the west that could serve as the parallel runway- except that it appears shorter, not longer. I figure this is also a runway- as this is/was a Tiger Moth airfield.

 

AOPA also mentions another runway, 09/27 and the country airfield guide shows this to be near the northern end of the 18/36/runways. GE shows what looks like a runway there, and also another possible runway further to the south- same alignment. The diagram also shows a taxiway aligned roughly 13/31, but on the GE image this looks big enough to be a runway.

 

So, can any of you local chaps enlighten me? What's what at Torquay? If I have time, and it looks like the place is active, I may drop in and say howdy on the way past. Date and time largely unpredictable at this stage, but some time between the 21st Feb and 24th Feb. Maybe I'll see some of you chaps there.

 

Regards

 

Coop

 

 

[Robbo]

There are two close by.... There is one at Mt Dunned on the outskirts of Geelong then there is Barwon heads. Not getting confused?

 

Check the one at Mt Dunned. Geelong Flight Training is there www.geelongflightcentre.com.au

 

This is the one closer to Torq http://www.tigermothworld.com/

 

I am sure Crash Lander or one of the locals down there can correct me

 

 

[Guest OzChris]

You have 3 in that area all very close together - Barwon Heads, Torquay and Geelong (or is that closed now?)

 

I have landed at Barwon Heads a few times, but not Geelong, nor Torquay (although have overflown).

 

Terry should be able to help out - he flies from there.

 

Terry??

 

 

[Robbo]

Geelong is still going I was there the other day. Its located at Mt Dunneed just on the outskirts...

 

Mount Duneed is about 13km south of Geelong city, on the Surfcoast Highway, between Grovedale and Torquay.

 

 

[tezza]

Coop I think I can see 2 NS airfields with the one to the east being shorter, it looks like the bottom half is dark and the top half lighter green.

 

I have flown over it many times but didnt realise there were 2 NS runways. Torquay as far as I know is privately owned and used for commercial joy flights and skydiving. There is no club activity and you cannot hire aircraft from there, purely charter and joy flights only.

 

Of course only 4 nm to the NE is Barwon Heads which is the home of the Geelong Aero club and where myself and Crash Lander fly out of. It caters for both GA and RAA. If you wanted to drop in at Barwon Heads you,the Navigator and Dorothy are sure to be well looked after.

 

Geelong airport at Mt Duneed is also close by and quite busy, but I believe the land has been sold off to developers and the airfield has about 2 years to live. All 3 airfields share the same CTAF ( 119.0)

 

Terry

 

 

[Uncle Chop Chop]

I have flown out of Torquay in a Piper Cheiften. It was at Tiger Mother World as Robbo mentioned. We took off from a Grass Run Way.

 

 

[Guest Glenn]

Tiger Mother?

 

 

[Coop]

Thanks Guys,

 

I was getting confused. I was under the impression that Terry flew out of Torquay. I noted the other two airfields. My track will be from Horsham to the coast a little west of Torquay (to keep me well away from the Avalon airspace) and then along the coast and over the gap to Tyabb. So, if there are people around when I come through, I'll drop in to Barwon Heads. The Navigator won't be with me on this trip. She is bringing the car so we can see Tassie from the ground as well as the air.

 

Thanks for resolving the confusion,

 

Regards

 

Coop

 

 

[GAJab]

The shorter N/S strip is actually sort-of the taxiway for the main strip, however the main strip is quite damaged and bumpy at times, so the shorter side strip became the main one. The tigers just use the shorter strip. The other strip looks to be around 500 - 600 metres and is frequently used depending on the wind direction. If you are in pretty much any RA aircraft the NS short runway will be fine.

 

Make sure you ring them before you go or they will get quite unhappy.

 

Grovedale is going strong still, was there recently and Barwon Heads is the same political nightmare it has always been.

 

 

[Coop]

Ah, the joys of vintage aviation!

 

A minor fabric repair job today turned into something more substantial requiring bending and rivetting bits of metal and would be more easily undertaken with the wings off. So, the navigator and I have decided to cancel our Tassie trip this year and use the time to give Dorothy's wings a bit of a birthday. (A few other niggles may be sorted out as well).

 

So, to those of you intending to visit Echuca during the AAAA fly-in around April, I look forward to seeing you there. Dorothy will be the Auster with the all-white wings and red trim (as compared with the current off-white with bright white uneven strips and other blotches from earlier repairs).

 

Regards

 

Coop

 

 

[djpacro]

I might get to Echuca this time - either in this Decathlon or the Pitts. See you there, Coop (I've been reading your adventures on other places online).

 

PS - I've only been a visitor to Barwon Heads in recent years and haven't seen any politics - anyway, I thought that the nightmare was over with the change of ownership.