AN Uiver enthusiast hopes NSW recognition of Albury’s archive tied to the plane will bolster the city’s prospects of an aviation museum.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Noel Jackling, who was instrumental in two family collections being donated to Albury Council, was thrilled the memorabilia has received state heritage listing.
“I’m delighted because I think it’s recognition that it has official state significance and it’s something of which we can be justifiably proud,” Mr Jackling said.
“I would hope that it would help the Uiver Memorial Community Trust in funding for an aviation museum for the restored Uiver.
“The recognition of the story adds significantly to the restoration of the aircraft.”
A DC-2 Uiver replica is being overhauled and revamped at Albury airport at the direction of the trust.
Trust chairman Pieter Mol welcomed the heritage listing of the 286 items, some of which are displayed at the Albury Library Museum.
“If the possibility arises that the council and the museum staff see a clear advantage to maybe combining the heritage-listed collection with the DC-2 aircraft in a suitable venue that would make sense because it’s all part of the same concept,” Mr Mol said.
“But at this stage it’s very speculative and we haven’t really spoken about the nuts and bolts of any of that.”
The heritage listing will allow the council to access more funding for preserving the collection which reflects how Albury came to the aid of the Uiver which become lost during a storm in the 1934 London to Melbourne air race.
Conserving a parachute and fuel can are immediate priorities.
Archive items include an Uiver ticket, memorabilia from the family of then Albury mayor Alf Waugh, who was invited to visit the Dutch queen, and photographs.
The next major display of them is likely to be in 2019 for an exhibition marking the centenary of the formation of KLM, the Dutch airline which owned the Uiver.
Mr Mol said the restoration was likely to go beyond its original 2020 deadline.
Corrosion has made it hard to identify some parts and a rubber press will be built to make complex-shaped aluminium pieces.
Mr Mol said $7000 would have to be raised from the public to cover its costs.
About a dozen volunteers are working on the plane each Saturday and six help out Wednesday.
