Seachange

Shaw has been the driving force behind the renaissance at Rose Bay, and notes that the existing facility had become totally inadequate.

The new terminal is the only purpose-built seaplane facility in Australia, and incorporates a beautiful eating area and licensed bar, a museum commemorating the history of flying boats at Rose Bay and plenty of viewing areas for guests and customers to relax and enjoy the bay and seaplane operations.

Shaw likens the terminal to a high class airline lounge providing light food, seafood, refreshments and alcohol. A highlight is an oyster bar which serves oysters flown in by Sydney Seaplanes from the Hawkesbury River that day and shucked in front of the customer by a specialist seafood chef.

The museum, meanwhile, is dedicated to the recognition of Rose Bay – selected for its large bay and calm waters – as a flying boat base between 1938 and 1974. Few people visiting the terminal would be aware of the history of Rose Bay, with Qantas launching flights to London with Short Empire class flying boats in 1938. In something of a golden age of aviation, the flight to England was first class only, took 10 days and a ticket cost the price of an average annual salary.

The museum walks visitors through a timeline of flying boat operations there from 1938 through to 1974, when Ansett Flying Boat Services ceased flying to Lord Howe Island.

“The museum incorporates artefacts from the golden days of flying boat operations along with a great half hour video containing interviews with people involved at the base in its heyday, including the daughter of Hudson Fysh, the founder of Qantas,” says Shaw.

To complement the new facility, Sydney Seaplanes has introduced a new paint scheme and refurbished its aircraft fleet, the backbone of which remains two De Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beavers, VH-AAM and VH-NOO.

“The Beaver is hard to go past, it can seat six passengers comfortably, it is still relatively inexpensive to purchase and it has low operating costs,” says Shaw.

Sydney Seaplanes also operates a Cessna Caravan amphibian, VH-SXF, which was acquired new in 2007, and has access to a second amphibian Caravan, VH-ZWH. A Cessna 206 is utilised for pilot training.

The Sydney Seaplanes aircraft may now sport a new livery but they continue to bear their Empire class flying boat names. Thus VH-AAM retains the name Caledonia, a romantic and poetic allusion to Scotland. The original Caledonia was Empire flying boat G-ADHM. Beaver VH-NOO retains the name Cambria, being the Latin form of Cymru, which is Welsh for Wales. The original Cambria was Empire Flying Boat G-ADUV. And the Caravan proudly bears the name Corsair, after Empire flying boat G-ADUY.

Where the three floatplanes are headed on any one day is detailed on the terminal’s new flight information display – in a fine touch, allocated aircraft are identified by their names.

Typically they will be operating fly and dine excursions to restaurants at Palm Beach, Killcare and the Hawkesbury River, plus the scenic flights that take in the highlights of Sydney including Bondi Beach, the city skyline, the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. But charters are also available.

Not all the romance of flying has been lost.

The Beaver is hard to go past. AARON SHAW