The Wirraway in Lake Corangamite
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I agree with you. Of course it was just a guess and may have nothing to do with the Wirraway, I just thought it was worth mentioning as a possibility.
There is a discussion here (Australia's biggest diving forum), just to give an idea of the hotness of this issue at the moment. (While this is in reference to wrecks over 75 years old, the mindset applies to newer wrecks too).
Dive-Oz Discussion Forums - Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976 review
Government stupidity, over regulation and narrow mindedness is not limited to aviation.
There is a discussion here (Australia's biggest diving forum), just to give an idea of the hotness of this issue at the moment. (While this is in reference to wrecks over 75 years old, the mindset applies to newer wrecks too).
Dive-Oz Discussion Forums - Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976 review
Government stupidity, over regulation and narrow mindedness is not limited to aviation.
Join Date: Oct 2006
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An application for removal has been made
Within the last month someone has applied to remove this aircraft. There is more detail via the 'Cobden aero club inc.' web presence. There is a 20 page document that explains the retrieval process. It would be good for those in the field to look at it and make comment. I am wondering why the expense and trouble. I had to chuckle at the applicant's street name.
Join Date: Apr 2011
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It is an indictable offence to remove, damage, interfere with an historic wreck and the penalties are severe. In Victoria, the legislation is the Heritage Act.
The philosophy of leaving in situ has been around for many years and was formalised in Victoria with the then Historic Shipwrecks Act of 1984. The Commonwealth acted nearly 10 years before that.
Kaz
The philosophy of leaving in situ has been around for many years and was formalised in Victoria with the then Historic Shipwrecks Act of 1984. The Commonwealth acted nearly 10 years before that.
Kaz
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Wirraway A20-714 Lake Corangamite 1950
Kaz3g
Heritage Victoria has approved removal and the RAAF has endorsed transfer of ownership. Ref page 6 and 7 in the link below.
Wirraway A20 - 714 Removal
Heritage Victoria has approved removal and the RAAF has endorsed transfer of ownership. Ref page 6 and 7 in the link below.
Wirraway A20 - 714 Removal
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Without knowing the individual or their history it does seem strange that the RAAF gave him ownership and all departments approved it to be restored and displayed at his house ?? What the?
I also don't know the detail of this one, but must say that I don't get the knee jerk reaction to private involvement in something like this. Someone has had to jump through umpteen different sets of hoops to get permission and is going to have to sink a large pile of $ into removing and restoring the wreck - provided the protections are in place to stop him immediately flogging it off at a profit overseas, why shouldn't it be private property? How do you think the majority of the restorations of Spitfires n Mustangs that we drool over at airshows overseas, are funded, it certainly isn't by museums.
Perhaps I've just got a jaundiced view from my recent dealings with the heritage mob regarding a country pub, but they really can come across as having their heads firmly wedged up the collective cloaca. It seemed to come as an awful shock to them that their regulations and pronouncements alone weren't going to keep a structure standing and in a state to be appreciated by current and future generations - it was going to take a lot of money and effort to restore something and the stark choice was between allowing some hidden (and removable) reinforcement or letting the whole lot fall over in the next storm. The sucking of teeth and quiet tut-tutting when it became evident that no-one was going to sink time and money into fixing up the rotten old pile, merely to look pretty and authentic was actually pretty funny in retrospect.
Perhaps I've just got a jaundiced view from my recent dealings with the heritage mob regarding a country pub, but they really can come across as having their heads firmly wedged up the collective cloaca. It seemed to come as an awful shock to them that their regulations and pronouncements alone weren't going to keep a structure standing and in a state to be appreciated by current and future generations - it was going to take a lot of money and effort to restore something and the stark choice was between allowing some hidden (and removable) reinforcement or letting the whole lot fall over in the next storm. The sucking of teeth and quiet tut-tutting when it became evident that no-one was going to sink time and money into fixing up the rotten old pile, merely to look pretty and authentic was actually pretty funny in retrospect.
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Does anyone know if this guy has a museum at his house? That would make sense. If he doesn't and this is his first aircraft, you'd think it would be better off at the RAAF Museum for example where thousands of people will see it.
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Paul said that Heritage Victoria had given permission for the removal of the wreck and the RAAF as owner had agreed to transfer ownership
I was the Legislation and Enforcement Officer at Heritage Victoria back in the mid-90's when the Historic Shipwrecks Act was superseded by the Heritage Act. The Act actually vests property in a declared wreck in the Crown in right of the State...another David and Goliath battle in the making?
In any event, it appears to be a pretty good resolution as the wreck will be properly preserved and displayed for the benefit of all interested persons. Rodney Knight can afford the expense and Heritage Vic undoubtedly can't as funding for the Maritime Unit has been savaged again (still).
Kaz
I was the Legislation and Enforcement Officer at Heritage Victoria back in the mid-90's when the Historic Shipwrecks Act was superseded by the Heritage Act. The Act actually vests property in a declared wreck in the Crown in right of the State...another David and Goliath battle in the making?
In any event, it appears to be a pretty good resolution as the wreck will be properly preserved and displayed for the benefit of all interested persons. Rodney Knight can afford the expense and Heritage Vic undoubtedly can't as funding for the Maritime Unit has been savaged again (still).
Kaz
Quote:
it certainly isn't by museums
Perhaps you should qualify that with your definition of a museum.
Possibly. Most forum posts are by their very nature brief and some things need to be read into them - I don't mean the David Lowy / Kermit Weeks brand of museum. That is largely a side issue though, the main thrust of my post was there is a school of thought quite prevalent in heritage circles that items of historical significance should rather rot away to nothing in "public " hands, than pass into private ownership, no matter how well intentioned.
it certainly isn't by museums
Perhaps you should qualify that with your definition of a museum.
Possibly. Most forum posts are by their very nature brief and some things need to be read into them - I don't mean the David Lowy / Kermit Weeks brand of museum. That is largely a side issue though, the main thrust of my post was there is a school of thought quite prevalent in heritage circles that items of historical significance should rather rot away to nothing in "public " hands, than pass into private ownership, no matter how well intentioned.
Some of you guys make me laugh. At what stage does rubbish become heritage? Is there a switch or does it evolve?
At the end of WW2 this thing was rubbish. As is a shipwreck when it happens.
Congratulations should go to the new owner for cleaning up a rotting mess of metal. If I dumped say a 206 (SIDS compliance uneconomical) into a lake how long would it take to become heritage?
At the end of WW2 this thing was rubbish. As is a shipwreck when it happens.
Congratulations should go to the new owner for cleaning up a rotting mess of metal. If I dumped say a 206 (SIDS compliance uneconomical) into a lake how long would it take to become heritage?
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Does anyone know if this guy has a museum at his house? That would make sense. If he doesn't and this is his first aircraft, you'd think it would be better off at the RAAF Museum for example where thousands of people will see it.
Yes they are pretty rude when you ask them about "that" part of the collection.
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Some new information on this
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Well I'm glad something will come of it. Might as well allow it to be restored for posterity than quietly rusting away to nothing. This story reminds me a bit of the B-24 Liberator that's being restored in Werribee. I've put in a few days work here and there with the guys down there and it's great fun for a young bloke like me to get my hands on a proper, radial-engine aircraft and see the ins and outs of it.
Makes me appreciate just what engineers/technicians/maintainers went through in 'those days'.
Cheers,
John
Makes me appreciate just what engineers/technicians/maintainers went through in 'those days'.
Cheers,
John
