WW2 airstrip North of Sydney?

[Critical Reynolds No]

Hi All,

Doing some research and found out that the F3 freeway cut through an old WW2 airstrip in the Asquith/ Mount Colah area in the northern suburbs of Sydney.
Could anyone give me an idea of the name of the strip and what was based there please? What other authorities could I contact to find out more? Google just revelas the same wikipedia entry.

Thanks

CRN

[sprocket check]

I don't know about that one, but there were quite a few...

There is one that Central Coast RC aircraft use just east of YSMB, there was one at Woy Woy-somebody even dug a big radial of some sort out of their backyard some years after the war.

There were more to the north still. Not many remaining. Any reason you're interested in that particular one?

Try the National Library. They have the charts from the war on microfiche. It'll cost a few bob.

sc

[Critical Reynolds No]

Hi SC,

No real interest so to speak. I was looking at something online and noticed that there was one there. Having flown up the LOE since the 1980s, I've never spotted or noticed it before. I'm sure it would've been pretty hard to see if not used since WW2.

Just wanted to know near enough so next time I fly up there, I might try and locate it. Although with a big freeway through it, doubt there would be anything left.

Cheers
CRN

[john_tullamarine]

Asquith/ Mount Colah

Not the best terrain for an airfield. Could you be thinking of the old airfield in the Gosford/Wyong area ? .. can't recall its exact location off the top of my head but it was quite obvious flying overhead for years after development obliterated the basic structure.

[Critical Reynolds No]

Not somersby.

This is the tidbit from the info page. I'm assuming it is or was near the top of the "Big Dipper".?

"The F3 Sydney-Newcastle Freeway was built through Mount Colah in 1988 and opened in March 1989. In the process it cut through an old World War II gravel airstrip, and isolated 2 holes of the Asquith Golf Course just to the south. Some World War II building remnants are still visible nearby."

[dogcharlietree]

This may be helpful;
Military Airfields in Australia and the western Pacific area during World War 2 (http://home.st.net.au/~dunn/airfields.htm)
and this re the engine;
Woy Woy airfield, NSW, a satellite airfield of Schofields Airfield during WW2 (http://home.st.net.au/~dunn/airfields/woywoyairfield.htm)

[john_tullamarine]

In the process it cut through an old World War II gravel airstrip

I thought I had identified it last night on Google Earth but wasn't entirely comfortable. With this information it is easily resolved and such discomfort as I may have had is resolved. Will post the picture shortly once I have it tidied up.

The number of times I've flown over it, driven past it, walked around it in years gone by .... the buildings immediately south with the helipads probably relate to the buildings reference.

I will be driving past in the next week or two - not a major problem to slip off the highway .. see if I can get access via the southern buildings and perhaps take a few piccies for you if that would be useful to your research ? I'm interested to have a looksee just for my own interest.

So far as history is concerned Asquith has been around since the early 1900s at least so the Hornsby Council or a local historical society (perhaps Ku-ring-gai Historical Society Inc (http://khs.org.au/meetings.html)) should be able to throw some light onto the old airstrip I would have thought ...

My suggestion is -

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/john_tullamarine/album%20002/Asquith.jpg

[Swift6]

I'm quite surprised to hear that there was an airstrip at one stage in Mt Colah. Its' a shame the freeway took it out! I never heard anyone talking about it but there was an army barracks at one stage at Berry Park (which is the oval closest to the freeway overpass - lower left of picture)

John -
Having grown up in the area I know it pretty well - I used to ride my bike a lot over the fire trails. Referring to the Runways you have drawn on - These would not be possible as the terrain in the area is quite rugged.

The buildings to the south which you refer to are the National Parks and wildlife service works depot. The helipads are used for the waterbombing helicopters.

The area which is referred to as the big dipper is a possibility, however a lot of filling has been undertaken to build the freeway. I reckon the golf course formed the majority of the strip.

It will be interesting to see where it was. and to find out more about it.

[john_tullamarine]

These would not be possible as the terrain in the area is quite rugged

I would have thought the same from my own history in the area as a lad.

However, considering that the gravel overlays would have been removed for roadworks over the years, it looks not too bad a degraded surface from the Google image. Either way, my interest is heightened sufficiently to have a looksee on the way north this month ... If it were a strip, there will be tell tale signs like at so many other abandoned strips ...

[Critical Reynolds No]

Thanks Tulla,

Knowing the area well myself, your outlines are actually on the side of a steep mountain (?) side heading off to a valley that raises up towards the oval in the top of the picture. The dark green foliage just to the top of your red line is the bottom of the valley. Unlikely they would have a strip there

Let us know how you go on you trek up there. Very interested.

I have also contacted the historical society as well.

Thanks

[Taildragger67]

Warnervale is a tad further north, but it's withing spittin' distance of the F3 - could it be a starter?

[Critical Reynolds No]

Not Warnervale. That was still in use last time I checked (few years now) and no where near Asquith. Certainly not chopped by the F3.

[john_tullamarine]

I reckon the golf course formed the majority of the strip

Possibly, but the golf course was constructed in 1938 so perhaps not ??

In the process it cut through an old World War II gravel airstrip, and isolated 2 holes of the Asquith Golf Course just to the south.

That golf course rework of the second nine occurred in 1986, presumably in anticipation of the freeway works and the quote suggests that the remains of the airstrip existed at the time of the freeway works. If the reference to "south" is correct, then we are looking for something a little to the north of the golf course. My interest in the Google shot is that the eastern side has suffered negligible development and the basics should still be visible from the air ?

I lived in the Sydney and lower Hunter areas until I graduated and moved to Melbourne. I well remember construction of the various parts of the Newcastle Freeway (and the subsequent joining to Pennant Hills Road) dating back to the early 60s and, having driven past more times than I would care to remember I cannot, for the life of me, recall anything that even vaguely resembled an airstrip ... has to have been reasonably well hidden from ground level, I guess.

[HotPete]

When I started flying in 1956 there was an ex WW2 gravel strip at Ettalong just South-west of the hill near what is now the Rip Bridge. Over the years I saw it gradually disappear under a sea of house blocks.

[zlin77]

Used to be an old strip in The Bateau Bay area of The Central Coast North of Sydney, evident in the mid 60's when I used to holiday there.

[Rossy]

I know it's not the particular area your talking about but the one that used to be near gosford/wyong as earlier stated is on mangrove road at narara, just before the road crosses the freeway to intersect with dog rap road. They now fly r/c planes there and im not too sure if it was ever used for the war but that's where it is. Cheers guys.