Sydney Flying-Boat Base

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 180, 2 August 1938, Page 4

Sydney Flying-Boat Base

MUCH LOCAL OBJECTION SYDNEY, July 26. Work is now in progress at Rose Bay, Sydney, upon tho construction of the necessary buildings for the final base in Australia of the Empire flying-boat mail service, and for some little time two of tho flying-boats which are to be used by Quantas, Limited, for its portion of tho run—between Singauore and Sydney—• have been achored there. Tho first of tho flying-boats to carry mails for Britain left Sydney on July 5. Ever since it was first proposed to make Rose Bay the Sydney base for the flying-boat servico there has been much local objection on the ground that the buildings there would spoil the beauties of this beautiful bay in Sydney Harbour, but tho Federal Government felt that it must go ahead with preparations in the most suitable bay in the harbour for the purpose. Land has therefore been resumed and a hangar which will eventually house the flying-boats and an administrative office and control tower are being built. A slipway is also to be made which will enable tho flying-boats to float direct from the sea into tho hangar. The Commonwealth has given an assurance that Rose Bay is only to be used as the Sydney flying-boat base for a few years. Ultimately it proposes to build a permanent baso at Botany Bay, but this will be a costly undertaking which will take a few years to complete, as a breakwater will have to be con* structed to ensure calm water for the flying-boats. The Rose Bay hangar will undoubtedly spoil tho pleasant view of the harbour now to be obtained from the links of the Royal Sydney Golf Club and from some residences there, but the residents will have to put up with this until tho Federal and New South Wales Governments between them are willing to face the heavy expenditure of providing a permanent base at Botany Bay.