FYI

The RAAF and Defence Department held formal briefings last week with Stakeholders as a followup to the Media Release issued earlier in the week by Peter Lindsay Parliamentary Secretary for Defence.

VISION:

RAAF Base Point Cook will be an open ‘Working Heritage Base’, capable of conducting operations while preserving and displaying Air Force and Australian aviation heritage.
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It will be open to the public to promote public awareness of Australia’s aviation history.
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It will inspire Australia’s youth by providing experiential learning in many facets of military and civil aviation.
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It is proposed that Point Cook continue to be able to support military flying operations when required, particularly as a contingency to support national security requirements.

Underpinning Planning Principles

The following underpinning planning principles are agreed:
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RAAF Base Point Cook will remain in Defence ownership and management.
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The RAAF Museum will remain at RAAF Base Point Cook.
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Future use of RAAF Base Point Cook is to have full regard to Defence’s responsibilities under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and the site’s nomination for placement on the National Heritage List. Appropriate, adaptive reuse of buildings of particular heritage value is the preferred management strategy.
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Point Cook is to continue to be maintained by Defence as an operating airfield. It is to be able to support military flying operations when required, as well as by the RAAF Museum. The airfield is to continue to be used, under arrangement, by civilian flying operators, but it is expected that over time commercial arrangements will be put in place similar to those at other airfields.
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The future use and management of RAAF Base Point Cook (including the location of Defence functions and activities) is to be cognisant of, and facilitate, public access and use.
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Future Defence use of the Base is to have regard to the location of the Point Cook State School and Pre-school.
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RAAF Bases Laverton and RAAF Base Point Cook are to be retained in the longer term.
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Funding will need to be sourced to undertake the necessary upgrade works to site facilities, to provide for the on-going maintenance requirements and to enable other Defence elements (predominantly Air Force) to re-locate to RAAF Base Point Cook.

Regards

Mark Pilkington