I'm back from my quick trip down to the Berrigan Shire, a sprawling country community along the banks of the mighty Murray river. Except the Murray ain't so mighty any more after so many years of drought.
I was down to provide some entertainment during their annual Business Awards Night held at the local club. It was a great night and they really interacted well in the "Magic of the Mind" show segment.
The Shire, who had flown me down just for the show, ( about an 80 minute flight and then similar length drive along the river to get to the town) looked after me well. Dinner with the Mayor and the Councillors and a guided tour of the 4 separate towns that make up the shire the next day.
I've put a couple of shots of the river and one of the three remaining World War 2 hangers at Tocumwal aerodrome. During the war this was McIntyre Field, the largest in the Southern Hemisphere! This was to be the central defence point to counter the invasion of Australia. It's 5 vast runways could handle the largest bombers, loaded to the maximum and with no hills for miles and generally clear still air it was the perfect spot to mount the final defence. Once the war in the Pacific turned however, the 5000 or so US troops stationed there, moved north to base themselves in Queensland. Here's a site with a bit more background info. CLICK
I didn't get time to see all of the site, but will in a return visit one day. (I do have an interest in WW2 air history, as my father flew and survived getting shot down in a Stirling 4 Engine bomber over France, but that's a story for another day!)
