A REPLICA Southern Cross aircraft will soon join Balranald’s tourism repertoire, with councillors recently supporting a move to bring the plane to the area, despite no funds existing in the current budget.
Currently housed at the Museum of Australian Army Flying in Oakey, Queensland, the replica was originally made for A Thousand Skies — a TV mini-series about Charles Kingsford Smith.
The project was proposed by local residents Colin Jacka and Noel Camin, after Mr Jacka was contacted by his son Paul, who works at the museum, proposing the plane be gifted to the shire council.
In an item at last months council meeting, councillors voted to accept the replica plane as a gift, however it is unclear how the project will be funded.
According to Paul Jacka, the replica requires approximately 400 hours work to restore damaged fabric, but otherwise seems structurally sound.
“We should get it here and work out what we are going to do with it next year or the year after,” Cr Ken Barnes said at the July meeting.
“Just secure it… and then we can worry about the rest of it in time to come.”
“If we get it here then we could just store it while we do it up,” Cr Leigh Byron said.
Cr Elaine Campbell said council should secure the gift now and “in 12 months or two years worry about taking it further”.
Acting director of corporate services Paul Squires said there was no allowance in the 2014/15 budget for the project.
He added that getting the plane to Balranald was only the first step in the process.
“There is no funding in the budget for the transport or anything else this year,” Mr Squires said.
“I don’t have any financial implications to give you, if it costs [an estimated] $6500, then that $6500 has to come out of something else.
“And then there are ongoing costs.”
Balranald Shire Council general manager Aaron Drenovski confirmed yesterday that the project was yet to be financed.
“Council has conveyed a request to take possession of the plane and establish a working party on the plane to then find out what condition the plane is in and report back to council at a later date as to how to get it to Balranald and possible options to house it,” he said.
“[How to finance the project] is something we are waiting on — nothing is concrete at the moment.
“It will be put as a report to council [at a later date]… as to where the funds will come from.
“But something has to be cut to get those funds.”
He said funding could be allocated during one of the periodical reviews to council finances during the year.
However it is likely, due to councils tight budget, that it will need to come from other, previously allocated areas.
