Old Bar Heritage Airstrip

[Old Fella]

As one of a small group of volunteers who manage and maintain the Old Bar Heritage Airstrip, at our own cost, I am amazed at just how stupid, unsafe and selfish some in our aviation fraternity can be. During the past few weeks we have had almost 400 mm (16 inches) of rain fall on the Old Bar Airstrip.

Today, despite a large white cross being displayed in the middle of the runway some thoughtless, and obviously unsafe, pilot landed at and departed Old Bar Airstrip leaving deep wheel tracks for much of the length of the clay based grass runway.

If the guilty pilot happens to read this post I would like you to know that your actions were not appreciated and were irresponsible. Please, DON'T COME BACK. Go and bugger up your own paddock. :mad::mad::mad::ugh::ugh::ugh:

[Peter Fanelli]

Could it have been a C-130 or Caribou perhaps? :E

[sprocket check]

I was wondering who operated that strip. I was planning to go up there for a couple of days a few months back, after it had rained a bit and got warned about the possibility of soaked strip. I guess it's true then.

sc

[Old Fella]

Hi Peter Fanelli. Yes, it could have been a Caribou, but it wasn't. 38 Squadron have a standing invitation to use Old Bar for short field training anytime they are in our area and have in fact been in for the past two Old Bar Festival events, held each October long weekend. Unlike the goose who used Old Bar yesterday the RAAF seek approval on each occasion they use the airstrip. C130 no, although you may not realise it a C130 made 29 stop and go landings on the USS Forrestal during the sixties.

The aircraft which damaged the airstrip yesterday was believed to be a Piper Archer or Arrow, white with a dark tail flash. Unfortunately the aircraft registration was not able to be identified. Apart from the damage to the airstrip the pilot was fortunate to neither bog or fail to get airborne, both a distinct possibility given the state of the runway.

Hi Sprocket Check, you can always get approval and advice about the airstrip from me. Mobile 0427 712294. The airstrip is very tolerant to wet weather, however 390 odd mm in less than two weeks has been just a bit much. Obviously the pilot using the airstrip yesterday did not seek approval and did not observe the large white cross in place. We welcome visitors to Old Bar, as apart from anything else it justifies our efforts to keep the airfield from destruction and to maintain it in pristine condition at considerable personal financial cost. Incidentally, not all of the seven person volunteer committee are pilots. Those of us who are believe Old Bar is well deserving of the Heritage Listing in place. Happy landings

Old Fella. :)

[Capt Wally]

Thanks 'Old Fella' camaraderie (I better chk spelling on that one !) is alive & well thanks to blokes like you. I was puzled by the thoughts of some in here saying could it have been the RAAF, I would have thought after that much rain that if a Caribou or a C130 had done it then there was a good chance they would still be there with shovels in hand!:bored: I did see a C130 once a long time ago bogged at a strip to the sth of YSTW can't think of it's name but without sounding awful was the funniest things I'd seen in ages !:)
Hope you can identify the culprit, airmanship is slowly going by the wayside sadly these days!
Without sounding too dumb here is the Old Bar strip up near Taree ?
I'm from 'Mexico' so plz excuse my lack of local knowledge:-)

I must do some research on that, tnxs.


CW

[Old Fella]

G'day Capt Wally

Thanks for the support. As a C130 F/E I have had the misfortune to have been part of the crew getting bogged. We broke through the taxiway on the island of Daru. Fortunately we had picked up a group of soldiers from PNG and were on our way home. As they had not seen their families for some weeks it was not hard to enlist their help digging the old girl out. There have been a few instances of the Herc getting bogged, usually on bush strips, although I recall one going into a hole which formed when an old 44 gallon drum, used in filling a bomb crater at Rabaul, collapsed beneath the aircraft. We will probably never know who used Old Bar yesterday, which is a pity because we could use his or her help to repair the surface.

Happy landings

Old Fella.

[john_tullamarine]

Didn't know there was a strip there .. where is it in relation to the highway ? ... next time I'm driving up that way, though, I'll give you a call ... can't be too hard to organise a beer to say g'day. Love the Myalls and the folks live at Port.

[Old Fella]

G'day John

Old Bar Airfield was constructed in the 1920's and was granted "Aerodrome suitable for use by all land planes" status with the issue of NOTAM 14/1931 in January 1931. Apart from a six year period (Jan 1995-February2000) when it was arbitrarily closed by Council who wanted to convert it to playing fields, the airfield has been in continuous use. We finally were able to reopen the airstrip after it was placed on the Heritage List and since that time a small group of us have kept it maintained.

The airstrip is orientated 17/35 and is adjacent to the beach, just west of the Old Bar Caravan Park. For your GPS 31.58 S - 152.35 E. Anytime you are up this way give me a call and if able I will say good-day. BTW, we have a book which we published to help raise funds, available from me. Anyone interested may contact me via my e-mail (use the PPRuNe link) or look us up on either Aeroclub.com or via Tony Hanlon's Virtual Flying Club where we have an advert.

Happy landings

Old Fella.

[john_tullamarine]

when it was arbitrarily closed by Council who wanted to convert it to playing fields

ain't it often the way ... I recall Cessnock Council's permitting a vineyard to build a facility building just off the end of the northern runway (on the northern side of the highway), thereby totally ruining takeoff gradients for all heavier aircraft ... unbelievable.. caused me no end of heartache later on when I did the work to get a Shorts into Cessnock for some vineyard visits .. never heard whether that proposal went ahead or not .. The Council of the day ought to have been horsewhipped for permitting such a disastrous limitation on aerodrome marketing.

just east of the Old Bar Caravan Park

can picture the location now

Anytime you are up this way give me a call

Have to drive past anytime I visit the folks .. consider it a done deal for a beer or two.

[kyrraleigh]

Hi,
I am very happy to know people care for the airstrip and just thought i would share my proud history with you.

My maternal Irish Great Grandfather, George Bunyan built the now heritage listed Old Bar Aerodrome and has a 1988 Bi-centennial Plaque at the entrance to Old Bar Beach.
William (Bill) Smith, who was also known as the "Mayor of Saltwater” and as a member of the local VDC before and after his service with the AIF is credited with "Lighting of the Lanterns", guiding war planes onto the Old Bar Airstrip during World War II, which is now used as the theme for the highly successful annual Old Bar Festival.
If you have any further information on this these two men or stories of your own please share as i am hoping to learn more about my heritage.

Kyrraleigh Swan (Kemp)

[22clipper]

Apart from the sports field lighting towers I see the strip got a new obstruction yesterday. Amazing no one lost their life.