Arthur Butler Aviation Museum needs your help.

[old man emu]

Arthur Butler Aviation Museum Inc is begging for your help.

 

The vision of Arthur Butler Aviation Museum Inc is, in part, to preserve the aerodrome at Tooraweenah that served as Butler Air Transport Ltd's transfer hub. The best way to do that is to ensure that it is maintained in the best possible level of serviceability and has the facilities needed by its users. The aerodrome is owned by the local Council, which is financially reluctant to add facilities such as toilet amenities and hangarage unless the investment is warranted through usage. They are doing the right thing by not charging landing fees. The only way Council will know of the need for these things and the use they will get is if the community tells them so.

 

The Museum will be taking a petition to the people of Tooraweenah to get local support. What would be of immense help is support from the aviation community. You can provide this help by sending a letter or email to the Secretary outlining how having the aerodrome in serviceable condition and access to the village for refreshment and toilet facilities would entice you into a stop-over whilst en route between the northern and southern States, or a day trip from NSW centres, or a short stay to experience the Warrumbungle Mountains and the rest of the "Real Country" ("Real Country" is the title of the tourism promotion of the three Shires bordering Tooraweenah.) Please note that until aircraft movements increase substantially, Avgas will not be available, and Mogas only by pre-arrangement.

 

It won't cost you a cent to write, but you effort will be worth thousands to the Museum. You can send your email to [email protected]

 

Please include your name.  The Museum's Privacy Policy is attached here.

 

Thanks in anticipation for your help.

Old Man Emu

 

 

 

Privacy Policy.docx

[old man emu]

I've had two letters sent to me so far, but I need to flood the Mayor's office with supportive letters. We all bemoan the negative reactions of Local Government to aerodromes under their control. Here is a Council which "off the record" has told us that if we can show a great deal of support from the aviation community, they will include upgrades to the infrastructure (i.e. build a toilet block, at least) in the coming year's works budget.

 

So please, fill up my email in-box with letters of support and I'll fill the Mayor's office.

 

Email your letter to: [email protected]

[RossK]

Done.

 

[gareth lacey]

Done 

 

[Garfly]

OME, I reckon Tooraweenah's airport, as a kind of living/working historical monument, is a bit like the one at Old Bar, NSW.

Take a look at the various monuments etc that the town has erected to its airport - they are clearly proud of it and keen that it keeps going as a working strip.

They even got it Heritage listed.

I'd be happy to make that case in an email if you think it would work.

 

If you click on these thumbnails, hopefully the texts will be readable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Garfly]

It's great to see old Arthur walk and talk:

 

 

[old man emu]

1 hour ago, Garfly said:

I'd be happy to make that case in an email if you think it would work.

There is a plaque at the aerodrome and I have applied for one from Heritage NSW. And these letters are the ammunition that the Mayor himself has asked for to fire at the other Councilors during the budget meetings.

 

Right now our task is to let Council know that if it spends money on facilities at Toora - meaning, first off, an amenities block with Loos and (separate) showers - that people will be attracted to the Shire where they will spend money on accommodation, refreshments and tourism. Those three things are what the Council wants to build up. All the historical stuff is important cultural history of Toora, but that's the province of the Museum and the Council can't put community money into that. What they want is a reason to include increased money for maintenance in next year's budget.

 

So what we are asking for is for pilots to tell the Council that would come and use the aerodrome as an entry portal into the local tourist areas, as long as the aerodrome runway was kept well mown and free of weeds that produce tyre damaging thorny seeds. You should also mention that an essential facility at a country aerodrome is an accessible toilet becasue afte a longish flight passengers and crew need to de-fuel.

 

Please write a letter in the usual business format. Address it to: The Mayor, Gilgandra Shire Council, Gilgandra 2827. Please include your name and contact details (postal or email) Then you can send to letter to me at this address:

[email protected]

I will collect all the letters and include them with our submission.

 

Thanks,

OME

[facthunter]

Ballarat Aerodrome is a heritage listed site. That sort of ensures it will never become like what Essendon or Evan's Head is. Point Cook is another site I put money in to (when I HAD any). Nev

[old man emu]

Initially, Heritage listing sounds like a great idea, but when strangers start poking their noses in and enforcing their rules, those who pressed for the listing start losing their control. In other words, listing can be a double-edged sword. It opens the floodgates to grant money, but entangles you in the attached strings.Right now we just want to enthuse the Council. 

 

I would like to thank those who have responded to my request already, and ask those who are yet to do so, to take ten minutes to write a letter and send it to me. The experience we gain running this campaign could be a boon to you and your flying mates when your Council starts making noises about the high cost of maintaining your aerodrome and that closing down the aviation side  and opening up industrial or residential developments would return more to Council. Ironically, those same Councilors and their families and friends will happily fly away on holiday. Do they expect to fly in pilot-less aeroplanes? 

[facthunter]

The Kyneton scene hag a big attendance meeting with supporters and the council necessary to convince them of the need for the aerodrome to keep open and operating. I was one of those pressing to keep it. Dromes are under this sort of pressure from councils frequently. Look at what happened at TYABB. Pressure from developers with fortunately a final good outcome.  Nev

[planedriver]

4 hours ago, facthunter said:

The Kyneton scene hag a big attendance meeting with supporters and the council necessary to convince them of the need for the aerodrome to keep open and operating. I was one of those pressing to keep it. Dromes are under this sort of pressure from councils frequently. Look at what happened at TYABB. Pressure from developers with fortunately a final good outcome.  Nev

Plain envelopes are often the problem Nev.

The same with so many council applications.

All you need is the knowledge of those that will accept them.

Edited February 16, 2023 by planedriver

[old man emu]

Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing, or words to that effect are often used to encourage the masses into action against a perceived wrong. 

 

In the case of Tooraweenah Aerodrome, I can happily say that there are no Bad Men lurking in City Hall. At the moment they are not "woke" to the need to budget for more maintenance and for provision of facilities. No one is trying  to turn the site into a 21st Century residential slum, or Storage City. Let's face it, every Council is short on funds and needs to be careful how the funds they have are allocated. All the Museum is trying to say to Council is that there will be an economic return to the community if the aerodrome is well maintained, and there is a decent place to relieve the body's needs after a few hours in a confined space.

 

I was very fortunate today at Bankstown where I met the Head of Flying Operations of the Little Wings organisation. This organisation does similar work to Angel Flight. He showed me on a map of NSW the places from which they pick up children to take them to specialists in Sydney. As we were talking he mentioned a young girl who had been burned and was receiving treatment in Sydney. He could not remember her name, but when I said the name of a girl I knew in a similar condition, he said she was the one. I told him that I drove the bus that took her to football practice. So he is going to write to the Mayor to tell him that keeping Toora in serviceable condition would improve the service his organisation could give to the community. 

 

That's the sort of information that will swing the Council's thinking towards a higher level of maintenance, which in turn will flow on to benefit those of us who would use the aerodrome. For those of you who don't need the aerodrome for business purposes, we ask that you indicate to Council that you would use it for one of, tourism of the Tooraweenah area, or taking a short break whilst en-route elsewhere, or as a destination for navigational training flights, or simply somewhere to go for a weekend away.

 

The Council is not interested in spending money on obscure activities such as establishing a museum. It only wants to spend money to the benefit of the community. This is what good men should see and do something about.

[old man emu]

I'm saddened by the lack of response to my plea for pilots to compose a letter to Gilgandra Council telling it that regular maintenance of runways is essential to attract people with money to spend in the local economy to use the aerodrome.

 

Is it that people lack the time to compose a letter, or is it they don't know how what to say? In an attempt to overcome these factors, I have composed an example and attached it here. In that I have put all the things that that should be put to Council. 

 

If you are going to give this support and want to follow the example, PLEASE change to wording and writing style to suit the way you speak. Don't simply use my words. That makes any letters sound insincere. 

 

Email your letter to me  here: [email protected]

 

Thanks,

Old Man Emu

for Arthur Butler Aviation Museum Inc.

Pro forma letter to Council.docx

[rgmwa]

I considered writing but I live in Perth so the likelihood of me ever using the airfield is practically nil making anything I might say pretty unconvincing and probably unhelpful. Others may be in a similar situation.

[old man emu]

 

 

43 minutes ago, rgmwa said:

but I live in Perth

Write anyway. Your comments might not apply to Toora, but what about telling of your experiences where Councils did good or bad jobs? You can tell Council what sort of things attract you to an aerodrome for a day flight or en route stop-over. You can tell Council that what you have experienced and would like to see at a WA aerodrome is what east Coasters would like at Toora.

 

So, please write.

 

OME