Phil Buckley's travels: RAAF WAGGA WAGGA HERITAGE GATE GUARDS

RAAF WAGGA WAGGA HERITAGE GATE GUARDS

Based out the front of RAAF Wagga Wagga at Forest Hill, NSW are 5 preserved former RAAF aircraft once flown on active service. These airframes are on public display to honour the RAAF and people who were once associated with them and to inspire community interest in the heritage of the RAAF. All the aircraft have been on display for a long term and in the last few years most have undergone an overhaul and repaint to restore some colour to their exterior paintwork. More work will be conducted on the remaining airframe as time permits. The aircraft currently on display in the maintained park found off the main road include:

GAF Canberra B.20, A84-235
Gloster Meteor, A77-871
CAC Winjeel, A85-403
CAC Sabre Mk. 32, A94-982
GAF Mirage IIIO, A3-41

In the last few months GD F-111C, A8-142 has been moved to the base for display from RAAF Amberley but it is not able to be put on public display due to restrictions placed on displaying the airframe.

The RAAF Wagga Heritage Centre occupies the former base main road security building which is made from red bricks and is a unique design. A museum was opened originally in 1995 inside the building with various items on display relating to the history of RAAF Wagga Wagga and included items donated by the local community. It was closed in 2003 for an overhaul and only reopened in late 2010, after a few years of debate and after a review regarding the future direction of the RAAF heritage policy. The review allowed the RAAF Wagga Wagga museum to remain. A future works program is expecting to see up to $4m be spent on upgrading the displays which will include all of the existing aircraft moved under cover for better long term preservation. The main gate which runs past the aircraft and centre will also be moved down the road to a new location. The heritage centre is open Wednesday, Saturday and Sundays 10am-4pm and entry is free to all visiting. The only other current Heritage Centre is found at RAAF Amberley. There are hopes there will be more RAAF heritage centres at some of its other bases as time progresses but will only happen with the Government and RAAF devoting bit more taxpayers money to preservation. RAAF Point Cook Museum , the main RAAF Museum still needs significant funds (ie $ multi millions) to upgrade it to the high standards, when it is compared to other overseas Air Force / aviation museums such as found in the NZ, USA and UK.