 |
AllFlying.com Home | What's
new | Features | In
the cockpit | Employment | New products | Archives
& downloads | Coming
events |
What's
new Key clubs Our
other mags |
Feature
Flying home
If you fly for fun, then you would have noticed the disturbing trend towards airfield closures. Most of the major airfields and regional airports are under threat from real estate developers, and most of us stand by powerless to do anything about it. The concept is not new, but it has taken time for it to become accepted in Australia. One of the first originated at Tyabb in Victoria and, although not the success that the originators had hoped, it has spawned others such as Narromine, Temora and Scone in NSW, Gippsland and Yarrawonga in Victoria as well as Bundaberg and Gatton in Queensland. Some are private developments, others driven by forward-thinking local councils and shires. One such private development is the one at Gatton in South East Queensland. Situated an hours drive west of Brisbane and just 20 minutes drive East of Toowoomba, Gatton is a thriving country town of 6000 residents. Surrounded by some of the Lockyer Valley's most productive farm land, the area boasted two airfields – one at the University of Queensland (Gatton Campus) and home of the Lockyer Valley Flying Club till the University decided it didn’t want the responsibility any more, and the long-time ag-strip at Gatton South, now Gatton Airpark. Its owners, pilots Keith and Hazel Jackwitz, could see the potential for the airfield to be more than just a place to carry out local flying or agricultural operations.
A lot of planning and hard work, not the least of which was obtaining council approval for the project, has resulted in a thriving aviation community based on an initial land release of 31 allotments. Serviced with underground 3-phase power, town water, phone lines and sealed access road, it could easily be mistaken for a normal, outer suburban, residential development except with great views on one side and an airstrip on the other. Block sizes are a manageable 2000 – 2500 sq.metres. Plenty for a good size home , hangar and garden without having to spend all day mowing. Except for the airstrip, which comes as part of the land deal. Residents have ownership of the 80,000 sq.m area that comprises the runway and taxiways, as well as an area set aside for refuelling. All associated running costs are met by a levy set by the Body Corporate, which is made up of the residents themselves. At the time of writing only 3 blocks remain unsold out of 31, and almost every week a new hangar or house is being built. Once all blocks are sold, development will commence with Stages 3 & 4 on the Eastern side of the field. Weather is typical South Eastern Queensland –very mild, dry winters – beautiful for flying – hot and (hopefully) wet in summer. The ridge has an elevation of 460 ft above sea level, providing consistent breezes throughout the year, without the humidity suffered on the coast. Although the township is just 3km to the North, much of the area immediately off the end of the runway is zoned industrial, while land to the South and West are prime farming areas, ie flat, with the occasional farmhouse, and will remain so indefinitely - a real bonus in minimising potential complaints regarding noisy aeroplanes, as well as maximising the chances of a successful outcome in the event of an out landing. All those involved to date are recreational flyers, with aircraft including ultralight, home-built, antique and warbird, as well as the odd Cessna and Piper. In other words, regular people that love aviation and fly simply for the pleasure it brings.
Martin Hone
See our archives for earlier news Use this tool to search our site or the web. |
Job
watch
Free
Newsletter Got
news, an event or product? |
|
AllFlying.com Home | What's
new | Features | In
the cockpit | Employment | New products | Archives
& downloads | Coming
events |
Return
to top