Those heading to Shellharbour Airport on Wednesday to watch the last Qantas Boeing 747-400 pass low over Shellharbour Airport on its final flight are in for an added treat.
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The Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS) has some new star attractions arrive in time for the never to be repeated event.
They include an aircraft the Queen flew on during her Australian tour in 1954 which included a visit to Wollongong and a walk along Crown Street.
HARS president Bob De La Hunty said the C47 (N2-90) the Queen flew in 66 years ago on the Western Australian leg of her tour was one of two aircraft trucked from Nowra to Albion Park Rail this week in time for Wednesday's history making fly over.
It will be only the second time people in the Illawarra will get to see a Jumbo swoop low over Port Kembla and Dapto before making a left hand turn over Shellharbour enroute to Los Angeles.
It is the last ever flight of Boeing 747-400 by Qantas and the last time the iconic passenger plane will be seen in Australian skies before retiring in the United States.
Mr De La Hunty said it has been an exciting lead up to the the occasion for HARS Navy Heritage Flight members and supporters involved with the arrival of a C47 and a Tracker 845 from HMAS Albatross Technology Park where Air Affairs had been minding them.
"They were part of our Royal Australian Navy Heritage Flight acquisition," he said.
"They needed to be pulled apart to be transported by road.
"We took the wings off and trucked them up with police escort. One came last Sunday and the other last Monday morning.
"We are now reassembling them in time to display them to the public for the final Boeing 747-400 fly over on Wednesday.
"Our tour guides will take people down to the compound where they are being assembled".
The Tracker 845 survived a hangar fire that destroyed many other aircraft and was kept for training. Tracker's were an anti-submarine and surveillance aircraft operated out of HMAS Albatross and on the aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne.
"The C47 was an Royal Australian Air Force aircraft that was on the Queen's flight to Western Australia when she was visiting in 1954. It is different inside to the other ones we have. We are going to exhibit it as an aircraft that Queen Elizabeth actually flew in from Adelaide to Perth early in her reign".
Mr De La Hunty said on Wednesday HARS will have a large screen showing a live stream of the last Qantas Boeing 747-400 flight departing Sydney around 2pm and flying over Albion Park Rail around 2.30pm.
"It will fly down the coast at 3000 feet and then come over Port Kembla and Dapto descending to 1500 feet and then fly straight over the airfield," he said.
"There will only be one pass because it is fully laden with fuel bound for Los Angeles. It will turn left and go over Shellharbour as it heads off to retirement in the USA. It is the very last 747 that Qantas will operate".
It will fly down the coast at 3000 feet and then come over Port Kembla and Dapto descending to 1500 feet and then fly straight over the airfield. It will turn left and go over Shellharbour
- Bob De La Hunty
Mr De La Hunty advised people come early to HARS Shellharbour Airport as numbers will be restricted in line with COVID-19 regulations.
He said they will need to sign in and will then be able to take part in tours before being taken to the front of the main hanger to watch the final fly over of by Jumbo over Australian soil.
He said it will be a moment they will remember forever.
Live dinner concerts return to Centro CBD
After the success of Adopt a Health Worker while the restaurant was closed to dining during COVID-19.
And a steady stream of business since the easing of social distancing restrictions Centro CBD's Robert Specogna and Michael Michael Arbelias are bringing back live dinner concerts in coming weeks.
Unless NSW goes into lockdown again the first show will be in September.
The first intimate dinner concert as to be Bloom doing a Stevie Nicks, Linda Ronstadt and Carole King show in August but the closure of the NSW-Victorian border means she will no longer be able to travel up from Melbourne.
"We will now start in September with a 70's show and we have almost one concert every week from October through to December," Mr Specogna said.
"In October Doug Parkinson returns and Dragon is coming through.
"We also have Mark Gable from the Choirboys doing a show telling great Australian stories.
"He is going to speak about his time in the industry and the stories behind a lot of the bands. All while singing songs from the Choirboys.
"We also have the Elton Jack Show coming back as well as another tribute show to Rod Stewart and Lionel Richie".
Mr Specogna said early bookings are going well which is an indication of just how much lovers of live music are missing the opportunity to go out and be entertained. Coming shows are being posted on the Centro CBD website as will any changes to required through the coronavirus crisis.
Final call for business award entries
Illawarra Business Chamber executive director Adam Zarth is reminding business people to get their entries in for the IMB Bank Illawarra Business Awards before they close on Tuesday.
There are 11 categories to recognise the achievements across a wide range of areas including innovation and adaptability, workplace culture, sustainability, customer service, import and export, digital service delivery and resilience.
There are also awards for inspirational employees and business leaders in our community.
The presentation will take the form of a black-tie gala ceremony at WIN Entertainment Centre on October 16.
And finalists will be announced on August 26.
Read more:
- Second chance to see a Jumbo fill the sky above Albion Park for a low fly over of Shellharbour Airport
- Qantas 747-400 VH-OJA lands at Illawarra Regional Airport
- 30th anniversary of HARS Jumbo's record breaking flight
- Shellharbour drive-in movies a runway hit at airport
- Second engine arrives for Southern Cross replica at HARS
- 30th anniversary of HARS Jumbo's record breaking flight
- Did you know HARS was involved in an epic eight day mission to restore aviation history in China in 2016 that took 96 days through six countries to complete?
Movers and Shakers is a new weekly feature of people doing significant work in or for the Illawarra community
Do you have an interesting business story you would like to share? Email grellis@austcommunitymedia.com.au.
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