----- Original Message ----- From: "Sandra & David" <sdbales@gmail.com> To: <AUS-NSW-CENTRAL-COAST-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, March 22, 2006 10:58 PM Subject: [ANCC] Airstrips > Seeing Marg's item about airstrips near Bateau Bay > reminds me of when I first arrived on the Coast to begin > teaching in the Woy Woy area in 1970. I was lead to > believe that the reddish gravel that was prominent at > the time parallel to Trafalgar Ave near Waterloo Ave was > the remains of an old airstrip. Hi David I havent tripped over any ref to any air strip around Woy Woy........... Has the right terrain for such ! I am told there was one near in Tuggarah close to the Pacific Hway/Tuggarah Straight and another in Narara somewhere You never know what jem youre about to find in these old newspapers Bye MargM Central Coast List Admin

Hi Marg, You've just revived an old memory. There was a small airstrip at Tuggerah around the area you spoke of very near the Cricket Ground as I recall. This would be around the time of the mid 1960's when we played cricket on that ground. I don't recall it being in use at that time. I'm pretty sure it was a reddish Gravel or clay construction. Regards, Ted Bryant ----- Original Message ----- From: "MargM" <genknut@optusnet.com.au> To: <AUS-NSW-CENTRAL-COAST-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, March 22, 2006 11:10 PM Subject: Re: [ANCC] Airstrips > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Sandra & David" <sdbales@gmail.com> > To: <AUS-NSW-CENTRAL-COAST-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Wednesday, March 22, 2006 10:58 PM > Subject: [ANCC] Airstrips > > > > Seeing Marg's item about airstrips near Bateau Bay > > reminds me of when I first arrived on the Coast to begin > > teaching in the Woy Woy area in 1970. I was lead to > > believe that the reddish gravel that was prominent at > > the time parallel to Trafalgar Ave near Waterloo Ave was > > the remains of an old airstrip. > > Hi David > I havent tripped over any ref to any air strip around Woy > Woy........... Has the right terrain for such ! I am told > there was one near in Tuggarah close to the Pacific > Hway/Tuggarah Straight and another in Narara somewhere > > You never know what jem youre about to find in these old > newspapers > > Bye > > > MargM > Central Coast > List Admin > > > > ==== AUS-NSW-CENTRAL-COAST Mailing List ==== > If you find a good source of Central Coast info , let us all know

Re the mentioned airstrips - I believe these emergency strips were built during WW2 all over the place. The one at Woy Woy is marked on some maps, and there was another at Tuggerah just south of the Wyong River. We knew the late Laurie Holmes of Wyong, who told us that he worked with one of the bulldozers on the construction in 1943. PS: I have just taken a triple forward flip from the diving board into my files and come up with a cutting from the Central Coast Express of 24.2.1993 p.28 telling the story of the construction in an interview by Alison Cartmill with Laurie Holmes. The best-known strip was probably the one in the area south of The Entrance High School. I can recall as far back as 1958 when small planes were taking people up for joy flights there - as one drove along The Entrance Road, the aircraft could be seen taking off and landing quite close by. It was very popular as a weekend attraction. Back in the 1934, a movie called "Splendid Fellows" made by J.C. Williamson Pictures, and directed by Beaumont Smith, used some scenes shot on "Wamberal Common". The film starred Frank Leighton, and there was a special appearance by Charles Kingsford-Smith (whose sister Mrs Winifred Sealby lived at Saratoga). Perhaps someone knows if this was one and the same with what became the wartime strip along The Entrance Road? Regards to all, Gwen