Branch - Ballarat

From the President: 

The past few months have been quite action-packed for the Ballarat Branch, as we wished to capitalise on the preparatory work for the 2025 Ballarat Heritage Week, during which we highlighted the airport with the visit of the DC3.......

Ballarat Branch to sponsor DC-3 flights during Ballarat Heritage Week celebrations on 17-18 May.

From the President: 

In the past many years, the January meeting has taken the form of a picnic by the lake but this year the venue was moved to our normal meeting place at Hut 48. ...........

From the President: 

During the year we participated in two very successful functions in the May Heritage Weekend at the Airport and the  Aviators Ball marking the Battle for Australia at the end of August.............

“Entertainment of the Air” was the headline event on 17-18 May of Ballarat Heritage Week, as Ballarat Branch President, Peter Dowling, tells us more...

From the President: 

As presaged in our last Newsletter, the weekend of May 17 and 18 saw the Ballarat Heritage Week headline event at the airport: “Entertainment of the Air”...............

From the President: The first quarter of the year has found us very busy due to the commitment we have made to the Ballarat Heritage Festival week...

From the Editor:

While this format will continue into 2025, we are looking at ways to increase and stimulate the membership of Ballarat Branch of the Air Force Association........

From the Editor:

We had another very successful “Battle for Australia” ball held on Saturday 31 August. We were honoured to have a few words from Peter Finkelstein RAAF SQNLDR. (See page 3)

From the Editor:

Last newsletter we covered the journey of the 1WAGS memorial plinth from its site at the Ballarat Showgrounds to the front of Hut 48 at the airport. This is of course a very fitting new home as the heritage  buildings including Hut 48 survive from the aeon of 1WAGS in WWII...

From the Editor:

Although accompanied by a much smaller repre-sentation than in previous years, I was honoured once again to March in the ANZAC Day service on behalf of the Ballarat Branch of the Air Force Association.........

From the Editor:

In this newsletter, we celebrate two of our most regular attendees, Dr Tom Roberts and Mr Kevin Grundell, on the milestone of their 90th birthdays.........

From the Editor:

We are heading rapidly towards the end of the year with our last few events being planned. Following on from the success of our Christmas lunch held off site last year, we have planned again to have our lunch catered for us...........

From the Editor:

We are conscious of the advancing age of many members and this curbs opportunities for excursions that were a feature of past years. However............

From the Editor:

Our monthly social luncheons have been very successful with a steady number of members in attendance...........

From the Editor:

Following an invitation by Mark Pilkington, President of the Friends of the RAAF Point Cook Museum to the aerial display and soft re-opening of the museum, BAFA was pleased to host a contingent of “Friends” for lunch during a museum visit day on
Saturday 22 July...

From the Editor:

I attended the AFA-Victoria Annual General Meeting which was held on 25 May. At this meeting, Max McGregor stepped down as President..........

From the Editor:

At the February meeting, we had the opportunity to introduce APCO Alfredton - our new sponsor for the 1WAGS website.......

From the Editor:

As most of you know, our President Noel Hutchins has moved to Maryborough in Queensland and will be spending around the next 12 months in Thailand prior to locating permanently in Queensland........

From the Editor:

Having needed to cancel both our 2020 and 2021 Services due to Covid restrictions, things were looking good for a successful holding of our Service this year. The City of Ballarat were very much on board with us and ready to set-out areas for the marquees and other things on the Friday afternoon before the event...

From the Editor:

AIR FORCE CENTENARY MEMORIAL : Branch President Noel Hutchins and Immediate Past President Tom Roberts OAM were honoured with invitations to attend the unveiling and dedication of the new Air Force Centenary Memorial at RAAF Base Point Cook on 30th March.........

From the Editor:

Thanks to Secretary/Treasurer Peter Dowling for looking after all matters relating to our March Social Luncheon meeting and for conducting the meeting in my absence. While many members were unable to attend the meeting due to illness or isolation requirements, I am aware that a smaller than normal attendance experienced a most enjoyable meeting. Thank you Peter.

From the Editor:

I am optimistic that the coming 2022 year will see us get to the other side of Covid-19 and I look forward to a time when we get back to a fully open economy where there are no more restrictions on anyone and we are ALL able to gather together and get back to the gatherings and activities that our Branch of the Air Force Association is all about.............

From the Editor:

It had looked as though we may have needed to have members required to “book” to attend our upcoming November Social Luncheon Meeting so at to control the numbers to a maximum of 30 attendees which is the maximum allowed for our rooms at the 70% phase of the Covid road map. However, with the State Government announcing our 80% double-dose easing of restrictions from 6pm on Friday 29 October, there will be no problem in being able to fit everybody in while meeting the DQ4 density requirements.