Graham's Track and Runway - Museum of Flight, Nowra

Australia's Aviation Museums

Australia's Museum of Flight

Text and all Images Copyright Graham Mison.

Nowra, NSW, Australia. On the grounds of Australia's sole Naval Air Station, HMAS Albatross, can be found a collection of aircraft and associated items that attempt to give tribute to the history of flight in Australia - Australia's Museum of Flight.

The question of why an undertaking so wide ranging regarding aviation would be found on an active military airbase and a Naval one at that needs to be addressed. You see the subject matter was never intended to be so far ranging as it is now. In fact in the beginning this was, appropriately, the Museum of Naval Aviation.

Putting aside the controversy of the name and mission change Nowra hosts a modern style display with elevated walk ways, excellent visitor amenities and a far ranging group of displays. Most of the latter are former Navy types, or have some connection to the service.

The rest range from Victa Airtourer to Polish built Migs (Lims) as well as civilian airliners and rotary craft. A number a privately owned aircraft are on loan and you can view some being worked on for restoration, recently among those has been an ex Rhodesian Hawker Hunter. In the past few years extra floor display space has been created by hanging a number of exhibits from the roof, including a Wessex and a C-47.

The Museum is situated at the north eastern end of the base adjacent to the threshold of a runway. The main building itself measures 120 x 42 x 18 metres and has useable floor space of over 5400 m². The basic shell was completed in August 1991. Entry takes you past Grumman Tracker S2E N12-153600, one of the survivors of the infamous 1976 hangar fire. She was not returned to flying duties but used as a training aid.

Dummy Deck

Mid 1980s view of a Tracker on the "Dummy Deck"

with old museum buildings in the background.

Another view of the same area, now the floor of the museum building.

What's a Dummy Deck? This was an area of concrete marked out to represent the deck of an Aircraft Carrier for the training of deck crew in how to direct the movement of aircraft in a confined space. It was seldom used after the Navy retired it's last Carrier, HMAS Melbourne.

Out the Back

Headless DeHavilland Sea Venom FAW 53 WZ 943 - beyond repair? Has seen many years in the weather mounted on a pole elsewhere in Nowra

Royal Navy Westland Whirlwind XM 655. Moved outside to make room for other exhibits.

Having paid your $10 and admired the statue "The Batsman" and passed through the gift shop you are into the main part of the building and free to roam the floor and overhead walkways.

A large projection screen in the "civilian" area loops video and on the day of my visit (January 25, 2004) was playing footage of the ADF's involvement in Iraq.

At the opposite end of the building is the workshop and holding area, the large doors open to allow access for aircraft and ground handling equipment.

On the floor level is also an exhibit commemorating the RAN's Emu Flight in Vietnam. The partial fuselage of a UH-1 is fitted out as used in the conflict and with photos tells the story of Australian Navy aircrews' experience in that war.

Upstairs gives access to the bistro and the outside viewing platform, which are always popular areas on airshow days. A couple of these days are held each year and the admission price allows free entry to the museum, certainly value for money in anyone's mind. The museum is assured a bright future and is credited with bringing a large number of visitors ( said to be over 200,000 ) to the area each year.

The basic strategic plan for development of the site, a plan formulated in the late '80s early '90s, has been adhered to. The plan is at roughly stage four, it's final stage with many exhibits telling the human side of aviation history with audio recordings and interactive computer screens. Elevated walkways are used to view aircraft and helicopters suspended from the ceiling and low ambience lighting is used to good effect. A large conference room is used for gatherings and an annexe contains the Fleet Air Arm Archives.

Controversy was generated over the name change, some of which still hangs around today. There was much voluntary effort as well as public and private money put into the idea of a museum recognising the deeds and sacrifice of naval air and ground crew. So a new name and direction didn't sit well with some. Yet it seems that just by the weight of aircraft numbers and its very location future generations will be informed and reminded of the contribution of the FAA in the history of aviation in this country

Static park as seen from the viewing platform.

Naval Air Museum

Back in February 1974 Albatross' commanding officer, Commodore A.J. Robertson DSC RAN, asked Leading Seaman G. Dore to take up the task of establishing a Fleet Air Arm Museum to be housed within D hangar on the base. The museum with its collection of memorabilia, models and aircraft was officially opened on 2nd of December 1974 by Admiral Sir Victor Smith.

After a fire which destroyed H hangar and most of the Tracker fleet at the end of 1976, space became short for the replacement Tracker aircraft and the museum's aircraft were moved into the open and onto the "Dummy Deck" where today's new building stands. Several WW2 buildings were moved to the area to house a growing collection, however many of the aircraft had to brave the elements and remain in the open.

In 1989 the Trust that had been overseeing the museum was incorporated as the Australian Naval Aviation Museum Foundation.

A campaign to raise the millions of dollars needed to construct a purpose built structure was organised and with a number of corporate backers and public donations the first stage was opened in 1991. This became the Naval Aviation Museum.

In 2001 came the name change to Australia's Museum of Flight, although still under the direction of the Australian Naval Aviation Museum Foundation.