Catalina Festival.

[RHB785]

The annual Catalina Festival was held as usual at the former RAAF flying boat base at Rathmines on the western dies of Lake Macquarie yesterday 25/10/2015. To be really honest i thought it was a real disappointment. The Catalina was a no show, not even for a fly over, let alone a landing and the organization I felt left a lot to be desired. Only fly overs by Paul Bennett's Wirraway, Avenger and a low level aero display by Paul in his Wulf Pitts. Oh, and a fly over by an 11 Sqn Orion. There were about 3 Lake Buccaneers and Renegades there but no Seareys or Petrels I'd had a big day the previous day doing first aid with St. John at Rathmines Public School Fete and at the moment I have some lergy which has made my throat very sore and given me a croaky voice so I left about 1.30 pm. The Amry and Air Force Cadets had a stand next to our Air League stand and there was a bit of friendly banter went on between the two stands at various times of the day.

The amenities this year were totally inadequate and unacceptable. Two public loos, one at either end of the vast park and 4 porta loos at the lake end with no water to flush them. There has been a split in the organizing committee and a man from o/s has joined the committee. That's when the trouble started. There used to be a lady with a security licence who virtually ran that site on her own with a keen group of volunteers. Sometime in 2013 this lady was told she was no longer needed after that Festival and the last two have been on a downhill slide. I didn't see one person with a security licence displayed anywhere and St. John who have done first aid there for the last 30 also weren't there. A mate of mine who has a 1939 Oldsmobile told me yesterday that the committee isn't anywhere near as easy to deal with as the previous one. Each vehicle club in the past had its own area already marked out before they got there. Now it seems to be a case of "Oh well, just park anywhere you can get a spot. We don't care." In previous years people who had a stand were allowed to park their vehicles behind a temporary wire fence right behind the stand area.

This year we were told we had to park our vehicles about 300 metres away. When I asked "what happens if we get an emergency call and have to leave suddenly? Are you saying we have to drag all our gear way over there?" The reply was something along the lines of "Who cares how you get your stuff to your car but you're not parking it in this area, end of conversation." Somehow I don't think I'm too impressed with this new committee. There was space for about 100 cars along that wire fence so they could have had 2 rows of stand holders' cars and disabled parking also along the fence and the rest for the general public. As matter of fact, unlike in previous years I didn't see any specific disabled parking area at all. And there were aeroplanes parked in with cars. In previous years there have also been several entry points for pedestrians. This year only one. When I decided to leave early I did park where I wanted to and told the bloke who came to tell me to move it that I'd "only be a couple of minutes because I was having the gear passed over and under the fence so bite me". And I think the general feeling among the community is the same. There were fewer people there than last year and far fewer than in 2013 so they're obviously doing something wrong. The weather had absolutely nothing to do with it, it was a beautiful sunny day until later in the afternoon by which time I was back home.

Regards,
RHB.

[tor lives]

What a shame the event has gone down hill through poor management.
Hope the event can be saved before it is too late.
TOR

[RHB785]

Yes Ray, so do I. It used to be a fantastic day out for all the family. In fact years ago it was run over the entire weekend, Saturday and Sunday. Now it seems to be run for the sake of the committee not for the public and the other people who made it what it used to be. Committees are only there to support organizations not the other way aorund. Unfortunately some committee members seem to think the organization exists to support the committee and in particular, them. What you do when this attitude creeps in I sure don't know.

Regards,
RHB.

[Adam the Akrodude]

Sorry to hear you had a crap day at what should have been a great day. I've been left flat at times by the Avalon airshow and then blown away at other times. I can only hope the committee takes some action to improve things with attendances down. Maybe a new committee will be voted in and bring some fresh ideas, or return to a time when things worked? Nothing stays the same. Fingers crossed for a improvement.

[oz rb fan]

RHB
i know how you feel,Adam and i were in a club that some members thought was there for their own pleasure...and as a normal member it was a prick of a thing to go through.

i know why the Catalina wasnt there though....she has an engine off at the moment.
Paul

[RHB785]

Ah ok then. That's fair enough. However the Friends of the Catalina have a fully overhauled airworthy R-1830 engine that they had on display yesterday. Maybe they should have loaned it to HARS for the weekend. This engine is pristine, so clean and shiny.

Regards,
RHB.

[oz rb fan]

how is their own restoration coming along?

[RHB785]

I'm not sure about that one oz rb fan. I do know they have at least one serviceable engine though.

Regards,
RHB.

[Graeme H]

ah good old Rathmines and Catalinas, my earliest memories, after Dad rejoined the RAAF. I remember once toddling down to the Hanger and Dad having to take me back and tell me not to walk down there again.

The married Quarters we lived in on the Base was half a Nissan hut with curtains for room dividers, what today might be called austerity, but I clearly remember Mum was not amused.

[RHB785]

G'day Graeme. That sounds a bit like a mate of mine at Wlliamtown back in 1978. This young fellow got married but before he did he applied for a married quarter. The Barracks Warden took him to see two quarters in the village of Williamtown and after seeing the second one he told the Barracks Warden he" wouldn't put his dog in either of them let alone his wife. I hope the next one isn't as bad as these two." They eventually gave him a marieid quarter in Raymond Terrace. It was still a fibro place but a 3 bedroom place which was just as well because not long after they got married his wife fell pregnant with twins.

They used to call Rathmines "The Country Club". It would have been an idyllic posting for a singly or unaccompanied married man but perhaps not for a married man accompanied by his wife and family. Toronto is just down the road in one direction and Morrisett just down the road in the other direction. An easy train ride into Newcatle on Saturday night. Plenty of weekend fishing from the crash boats, either on the lake or out to sea. I just hope they get their acts together before next year.

Regards,
RHB.