Fancy your own major aerodrome? Now's your chance ....

[onetrack]

It will be interesting to see what kind of offers come out of the woodwork for Merredin Aerodrome. This is a very nice setup, which has had heaps of State Govt $$$'s poured into it - but I fear the offers the liquidators receive for it, will not come anywhere near the cost of replacement.

Unfortunately, Merredin is not exactly downtown Chicago, and this certainly isn't anything like O'Hare International - but surely someone must see some potential here. The greatest single problem is that isolation is about all that Merredin has going for it.

There's not much out there by way of tourism drawcards, mines, or industrial or freight activity, so its last major use - as a training centre - is about all it's really suited for.

 

https://www.realestate.com.au/property-other-wa-merredin-136488602

[Thruster88]

Merredin was the home of Phillips Acremaster tractors. We bought one new in '78. The only good thing about that tractor was the Mercedes V10 diesel @310 hp. The Japanese planetary hub reductions would go bang all to often. Parts were cheap and the fix was easy, for a while we were Acremaster apologists. Bought a Cat 3406 Stieger and never looked back.

  

[Flying Binghi]

Yer gotta wonder. Put the airfield in a great engine out mostly tree free area and then go and plant trees all round it. Then there’s the increase in rotor turbulence from the trees...

 

 

 

 

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[onetrack]

The trees planted will never ever pose a problem as regards rotor effect, because the trees will never reach a substantial enough height to produce any noticeable rotor effect.

The trees will never reach substantial height due to the variety planted, and because of limited rainfall, which restricts tree height. In addition, the soil type in that spot, does not favour large tree propagation.

 

You're denigrating the extensive knowledge of the people who planted the trees. They're not idiots, they knew exactly what was required.

The alternative is fully cleared bare soil, which would only produce substantial levels of dust, which would provide a greater threat to aircraft operation.

 

The actual ownership of Merredin aerodrome has been subject to much mis-information, and Clive Palmer - and Dick Smith - have been behind a lot of that.

The Merredin aerodrome has always been, and always will be - due to W.A. laws - a public airport. Requiring approval from a Chinese company to land there, as Dick Smith blurted out, is simply untrue.

 

https://www.4bc.com.au/dick-smith-hits-back-at-chinese-investors-buying-up-australian-airports/

 

https://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/parliament/pquest.nsf/969994fcf861850d4825718d002fe7fb/9e6cad3255122bca482583fd002b5f61/Debate/M1?OpenElement

 

The Wikipedia page about Merredin aerodrome provides completely erroneous information that the aerodrome is held via a 100-year lease by China Southern Airlines.

The true situation is that the aerodrome, and the land it is on, is freehold title property, and it was previously owned by the Shire of Merredin.

The Shire of Merredin sold the freehold title to the Merredin aerodrome to China Southern W.A. Flying College (CSWAFC) in the mid 1990's for a "peppercorn" sale amount of $1.00.

The sale agreement stipulated that CSA was to spend substantial amounts on the upgrade of the Merredin aerodrome - which they did. The expenditure on the aerodrome was as follows;

 

"CSWAFC invested $13 million into the aerodrome, an accommodation village in Merredin, and other related infrastructure and operational expenditure. The Western Australian Government contributed $1.5 million in 1996 towards the reconstruction of the runway, comprising:
• $1 million through the Regional Headworks Scheme for the development of headworks connection; and
• $500,000 through the Regional Airports Development Scheme (RADS). Subsequently, the State Government has assisted with three further RADS grants (2001, 2003 and 2004) totalling $163,000."

 

Accordingly, the freehold title to the Aerodrome is being sold by the liquidators of CSWAFC, as it is listed as an asset of the company.

CSWAFC was placed into liquidation as it was unable to continue to pay its debts as they fell due - and to continue to trade as a company or corporation whilst insolvent, is a criminal offence under Australian law.

Edited June 13, 2021 by onetrack

[FlyBoy1960]

So, what's it worth ?    How much ?

[Cyrano]

Why not use it as a quarantine centre?

[tillmanr]

How close is a major hospital?  This has been one criteria. Also the availability of personnel to staff a quarantine centre. I am not familiar with the location so just asking.

[onetrack]

Merredin is situated 260kms E of Perth  in the Eastern Wheatbelt of W.A., has a population of 2,850 people, and contains one of the four large hospitals in the W.A. Wheatbelt.

 

The other three major Wheatbelt hospitals are located at Northam (100kms E of Perth), Narrogin (200kms SE of Perth) and Moora (160kms N of Perth).

The Merredin hospital probably caters more to aged care and indigenous care, than to major surgeries and emergencies - although it does have an emergency dept. There's probably 2 or 3 doctors there.

It would be capable of catering to moderate levels of injuries, but severe injuries and critical care is carried out in Perth, so those patients are transferred to Perth rapidly either by the RAC Rescue Bell 412 chopper, or the RFDS.

 

https://www.ruralhealthwest.com.au/explore-wa/wheatbelt-region/hospital-services-wheatbelt

 

https://www.australiasgoldenoutback.com/destination/merredin

 

I'm not sure that there would be enough staff resident in Merredin for a quarantine centre, and if the aerodrome is converted to a quarantine centre, a major upgrade to security and fencing would have to be carried out.

However, staff positions would be easily filled from Perth, and a lot of people would probably be happy enough to live in Merredin.

Merredin is serviced by Highway One and the main East-West rail link, plus a daily passenger train service (the Prospector). It doesn't have a lot of industry, just some light engineering, and the town is largely dependent on grain-growing.

[onetrack]

Quote

So, what's it worth ?    How much ?

It's offered up for "expressions of interest", so that means the liquidators are simply looking for an offer that raises as much as they can get for the aerodrome. I suspect any offers will be far lower than the total amount of money spent on the place.

I would not be surprised to see the aerodrome change hands for a figure that's in the low hundreds of thousands. The 26 residential buildings on the property, plus the sheds and hangars are about the only realisable value, the airstrip itself has little value to most buyers. The pavement isn't capable of taking heavy jets, so that limits its uses. There are currently no commercial aviation activities at Merredin aerodrome.

 

Below is a "Development Strategy Plan" for Merredin from 2015. It provides anything you want to know about the town and the region.

 

https://www.wheatbelt.wa.gov.au/files/9014/4521/9620/Merredin_RCGP_Compiled_Draft_Regional_Centre_Growth_Plan_Reduced_V28_011015_BR.pdf

[Cyrano]

Yes, there are logistical issues that are NOT insurmountable. What ever the issues it would be a lot smarter than the current situation of utilising a dodgy hotel in a capital city.

[onetrack]

I must confess I've made an error in presuming the 26 residential properties are located on the aerodrome land itself. The real estate ad doesn't make this clear, but there are only about three residential properties on the aerodrome land - the remaining residential properties would be in the Merredin townsite itself. For the aerodrome to be turned into a quarantine centre, there would need to be a substantial building programme undertaken.

 

Also, the tower located at the aerodrome, despite being raised, was not built to commercial aviation standards, and does not meet standard airport tower requirements. 

[red750]

Screenshot from Google Earth looking north....

 

[red750]

A closer 2D shot showing what appears to be four residential type buildings below the main aircraft parking area (red arrow).

 

[onetrack]

The real estate ad photos show a total of about 6 residential-type buildings on the aerodrome, but I couldn't be sure if they're all residential accommodation, or if some are training classrooms.

[poteroo]

I've used Merredin since around 1973, and it is located on a previously wind eroded, infertile tract of land which, as Onetrack noted, will only allow for stunted tree/shrub growth. So, the 800 ha has no value to a local farmer for cropping anyway, and the lack of internal fencing and water would preclude its' use for commercial stock : plenty of skippys though!  It's also well outside the Merredin town boundary so as a location to live domestically, your services would be limited.   Once China Southern established the flying school, it was not easily accessible to outsiders. You required  'prior permission' and depending on the liver status of the CFI in residence, it could be quite problematic. I had several stoushes over access.

 

Would it be attractive for a flying school?  I could never understand why it was built in the 1st place - Cunderdin was a far better proposition.  Others have tried to establish flying schools in the WA wheatbelt and they just don't prosper!   Wagin, Narrogin, York, Northam, Cunderdin and Wyalkatchem have all closed up.  Too far from main population,(Perth), weather too extreme, no reasonable local accomodation plus quite a few coastal schools in existence, eg Bindoon, White Gum, Bunbury, Busselton.  The only possible reason for a remote flight school in WA is to get out of the Jandakot traffic melee' and it has to be on a larger scale, ie, for international students, and big numbers of them too.  I think we've seen the last of these.

 

The larger building is the ex school, and the others are, I think, former on site residences for instructors, who mostly vamoosed to Perth on the weekend.  It isn't large enough for use by anyone other than a few 'weekenders'  and then only in the cooler months. Certainly no immediate quick startup site for quarantine. The place is blazing hot for 4-6 months of the year, and sure isn't a tourist destination.  The Yongah Hill location just west of Northam offers far more potential for quarantine as Northam does have a decent hospital, and population, and the land already belongs to the Feds. Main Highway at front door, water supply ditto, and less than an hours drive from Perth.  A few new buildings and in you go, lucky people!!

 

happy days,