Club member Mark Patterson, from Memerambi, with his gyrocopter … one of many at Wondai Airport on Saturday 

July 17, 2013

Members of the Barambah District Aero Club are putting the final touches on their new hangar building which is being constructed at Wondai Airport.

Members have been working on the 20m x 12m building for some time and are feeling proud that it is very nearly finished.  All they have to do now is affix some more cladding and it will be ready to house members’ aircraft.

The club is leasing the land from the South Burnett Regional Council and have secured a long-term lease.

Other new buildings will also soon be joining the club’s hangar at the airport.

Council has surveyed a number of future hangar sites along the Wondai-Proston Road side of the airstrip.

Construction of another private hangar is expected to start soon and another block is also under preparation. There are also at least two more designated blocks suitable for more hangars to be built.

“There is a lot of land here that could be utilised,”  Barambah District Aero Club vice-president Allan Mollenhauer told southburnett.com.au during a break in a club meeting on Saturday.

“A number of hangar sites have been surveyed. Council has been very co-operative with the club meaning that our hangar can be built at a reasonable cost.”

Wondai Airport is the South Burnett’s second busiest landing strip and is used by everyone from aero-modellers to the Flying Doctor.

Last Saturday morning the tarmac was full of aircraft that had flown in for the club meeting.

Allan said the airport offered a number of advantages to flyers, including no landing charges.

Club secretary Luke Radunz said the grass strip was also popular with trainee pilots.

“A lot of the city flying schools come out here just because it is grass,” he said.

The airport is also used by gliders, ultralights, gyrocopters  and, of course, general aircraft such as Cessnas.

There are a number of facilities, including pilot-activated lights.  The toilets and showers in the terminal building are also accessible at all times.

More upgrades are also planned, including a refuelling facility –  planned by the Barambah Aero Club – and a new taxiway.

Luke said the Barambah Aero Club had 42 members and was steadily growing.

The club leases a room in the terminal building where members gather for regular meetings.

  • For more information about the Barambah District Aero Club club, contact Luke Radunz by email or on 0408-782-869. 
Barambah District Aero Club members in front of their new hangar, from left, secretary Luke Radunz, president Keith Bellotti, Chris Kennedy, vice-president Allan Mollenhauer and Owen Blamires … Owen has been flying out of Wondai Airport for more than 30 years
Club president Keith Bellotti, from Hivesville, with Chris Kennedy and Owen Blamires, from Wondai; Keith and Owen both fly Cessnas while Chris has just bought a new Ibis GS-700