Last week, the general manager, Councillor Wayne Bedggood and myself visited  several airports in NSW, which included Mudgee, Temora and Narromine to look at the different ways each shire run their airports and to gain some insight into how our own airport could be managed or developed further. 

We asked many questions regarding the management and operations of their airports, including:

1.  Is your airport profitable?

2.  How are capital improvements funded?

3.  Do you have the opportunity for land development within your airport?

4.  What are the biggest issues, positive and negative?

5.  What are your future plans for your airport?

All these questions and plenty more were answered and will be discussed at length at the next Airport Committee meeting. 

Certainly, you didn’t need to undertake a site visit to have a lot of these questions answered, but it certainly helped to put their responses into context when you actually see what has been done. 

At Temora for example, adjacent to the airport are approximately 50 houses with hangers where private planes are kept and/or private business is run.  

The site also includes a small caravan park where visitors passing by can stay, which again adds to the town’s economy.

While at Temora we were lucky enough to have a quick visit to the Aviation Museum which I highly recommend you visit if you are ever near Temora. 

It is spectacular and a great piece of Australian history and attracts about 40,000 visitors a year to the town.

A huge thank you to the managers and staff at Mudgee and Temora Shires for their assistance showing us around and answering our questions. 

On another note, the Scone and Upper Hunter Airport is one step closer to achieving airport certification through Civil Aviation Safety Authority from the current registration status of a registered aerodrome. 

Staff at the airport have undertaken works on the runway edge with gravel pavement and have alleviated the issue of runway drop off zones. 

Along with this, the appropriate planning documents have been prepared to ensure the certification is achieved.

These works will improve our processes and cater for larger jets and passenger aircraft using the Scone and Upper Hunter Airport on occasion.

Wandering Warriors

If you pass the Wandering Warriors and their military support vehicles on the New England Highway on October 6 or 7 give a friendly wave. 

The Wandering Warriors are walking from Brisbane to Canberra to raise funds for charities that support wounded, injured and ill Australian Defence Force veterans, and their families. 

They are likely to reach the Upper Hunter Shire at about the 650 kilometre mark, half way through the more than 1300 kilometre walk.  

The dozen veterans, serving soldiers and veterans wives are travelling on foot accompanied by support vehicles such as the Navy. 

On Monday, October 6 they will walk through Murrurundi in the afternoon and stay at the Vietnam Veterans Pearlbrook Memorial at Timor.  

On Tuesday, October 7 they will continue down the highway, through Blandford, Wingen and Parkville and arrive in Scone at about 11.30am.

If you would like to help support their efforts, come along to a sausage sizzle from 12noon on Tuesday, October 7 at Elizabeth Park, Scone.

Sports Fun Day 

Young people from year 3 and up are invited to the Sports Fun Day which will be held in Scone on Wednesday, October 1 from 10am to 2pm at the Bill Rose Sports Complex.  

It will cost $10 and this covers the activities, a fruit break and drinks.  

Attendees need to bring their own lunch. 

The Sports Fun Day will consist of a range of activities which all participants will take part in.  

A hat, trainers and some smart clothing are essential equipment and sunscreen will be provided.

The Sports Fun Day is a partnership between the Upper Hunter Youth Council and the council, and of course ably assisted by the council’s sports participation officer Nicky Western.  

The event is designed to provide young people with a day of activities in a non-competitive atmosphere as children are encouraged to be active in the holidays and enjoy fun with               others.

You can RSVP for the Sports Fun Day by email to nwestern@upperhunter.nsw.gov.au. 

These are due in by this Monday. 

Parents who bring their children to the Sports Fun Day will need to sign them in and fill out an event permission form.

Murrurundi water 

The Upper Hunter Shire Council has lifted Murrurundi’s water restrictions.  

This is welcome news since the town has been on the highest level of water restrictions since February when hot, dry weather caused an algae bloom in the main storage dam and alternative water sources were required, starting with distributing bottled water and trucking water in. 

Daily test results over the last number of weeks have confirmed the water from the dam is now safe to drink and it is again been used as the town’s water supply. 

The town water supply is being drawn from the dam and then chlorinated, instead of coming from the Pages River.  

Residents should not be concerned if they have noticed a change in the taste of town water recently.

Murrurundi’s town water supply is tested by the council’s staff every day (seven days) and once a week a sample is sent to the laboratory for algae testing.  

During high algae periods, testing will be undertaken twice weekly.

The council is still seeking funding for a permanent solution for a secure water supply to Murrurundi including a pipeline from Scone.