An Hour Round Clifton
Story by Aaron Roessler
An Hour Around -
The Darling Downs Sport Aircraft Assn. Inc – Lone Eagle Flying School
Clifton, Queensland.
Airfield status: Unlicensed
Location: QLD WAC 3340 UTC + 10 YCFN/ALA
27 55.66 S ; 151 50.85 E VAR: 11 degrees E ELEV: 1450
3 nm bearing 270 magnetic from Clifton township, and 23 nm south of
Toowoomba
AD OPR: Trevor & Janet Bange, 549 Clifton-Leyburn Rd, CLIFTON. 4361
Phone: 07 4695 8541 Email: trevorbange@bigpond.com
Privately owned – PPR recommended for landing to check airfield
surface condition
AD Charges: Nil
Aerodrome obstacles: 600 feet high ground, 1 nm north east of airfield
Runway Physical Characteristics: 06/24 couch grass on black soil, runway length 800 meters; runway width 30 meters; the eastern 300 meters of strip has a 1% up slope to the East, and a 1% side slope to the South
Lighting: NIL
ATS Communication Facilities: FIA Brisbane 121.2 in circuit
Navigation and Landing Aids: NIL (for NDB: radio station 963, bearing 132 degrees True, 8 nm)
Multicom: 126.7 (CTAF pending, already approved by QLD RAPAC)
Handling Services and Facilities: drum only AVGAS, MOGAS by prior
arrangement only or in emergency
Meteorological Information Provided: NIL
Passenger Facilities: WC, clubhouse; tea/coffee facilities, AC (emergency), loan car (emergency)
Additional Information: 1. sticky or boggy conditions exist if black soil surface
is wet
2. following periods of rain, surface may be extremely
soft and heavy
3. water course runs across airstrip North to South and
can be mistaken as a cross runway depending on
status of grain crops in areas bordering strip
4. recreational Aviation (ultralights) operate HJ
Special Procedures: 1. Runway 06 Right hand circuits due high terrain
I kindled my flying bug at the Clifton airstrip (formally Bange’s), which was first established in 1932 and is situated 6 km west of Clifton adjacent to the Clifton – Leyburn Road. I enjoy flying over and around this general area as it offers me untold variations of beauty with a tremendous amount of inherent safety.
To the south east we have the Lamington Plateau and Killarney sprouting the head of the Condamine River which enters the sea at Lake Alexandrina in South Australia. To the south, Warwick and Stanthorpe with fruit, grape growing and numerous wineries. Westwards we find Millmerran with its power house and open cut coal mine closely followed by Brookstead and Pittsworth to the north west on open plains. Toowoomba, on the edge of the Great Dividing Range escarpment lies to our north and you can fly back along the Range to Clifton over predominantly open farming land, with some wooded ridges and hills. I have found it an excellent area for flight training and general flying over with contrasting open fields offering maximum safety.
Numerous small unlicensed or private airfields lie within a 25 nm radius, including Warwick CTAF 12nm, Toowoomba MBZ 23nm and a Primary Control Zone airfield of Oakey 28nm away. The Oakey military control zone reverts to an MBZ area during hours of deactivation and has little impact on our flying activities. I have found flying to these fields a challenging and interesting experience, honing my navigational abilities whilst only a short distance from home base.
In 1976 the Darling Downs Sport Aircraft Association Inc formed in Toowoomba as a social general aviation and vintage aircraft orientated club. With an ever-increasing number of members building and owning General Aviation, Vintage and AUF aircraft the Club adopted the Clifton airfield, 23 nautical miles south of Toowoomba, as its prime operating site opening the Lone Eagle Flying School in December 2002. It offers tri-axis Recreational Aviation Australia accredited training in two club owned Austflight wire braced Drifters and a cross hired Jabiru J160. The Club has established on-field facilities including classroom, a briefing room, clubhouse, toilet/shower facilities and aircraft workshop and several hangars. On-field accommodation is available by arrangement.
The Club holds monthly fly-together days on the second Saturday of each month, which may include a BBQ lunch. Fly-away and general flying activities are arranged spontaneously on the day. Monthly Club meetings are held on the last Wednesday of each month, in Toowoomba or at members’ project workshops. I have found these days to be rewarding both socially and as a knowledge base.
I initiated my aviation interests by attending the club’s major yearly event, the annual Fly-In held on the second weekend of March, attracting aircraft from near and far. The fly-in has become widely known and well-attended by repeat aviator visitors with over 100 aircraft from all disciplines of aviation. A few pilots arrive on Friday for the event allowing numerous sorties around the picturesque district until their departure after lunch on Sunday. Over the weekend pilots are invited to participate in an informal “fly around air rally” of approximately 60 nm total distance. Saturday night boasts an excellent BBQ dinner for attending pilots and crew often with some form of entertainment. Sunday is the main fly in day and has excellent catering. Pilots claim to come to the Sunday fly in just to get a steak burger.
After flying in the early mornings you can always drive a short distance to savour the beauty that you have viewed previously from the air.
Clifton, the centre of a mixed grain, beef & dairy farming area, offers museums covering the cream industry and farm machinery, vintage aircraft and gliders. Other attractions include the largest known private Caterpillar tractor collection, Iris and Rose festival in October, large peanut packing facility, Jam Factory and Olley’s honey, numerous fossil beds, major brass fittings manufacturer, art gallery and workshop, swimming pool, library, golf and bowls clubs and opening soon a Zoo.
The Clifton Jam Factory was the “post office” in the movie Dear Claudia starring Bryan Brown, one of four movies filmed in Clifton. Other movies included The Thorn Birds, The Love of Lionel’s Life and Finding Hope with Rebecca Gibney.
At nearby Nobby are the Sister Kenny Memorial (polio treatment pioneer) and information centre, Arthur Hoey Davis cottage (of Steel Rudd’s and On Our Selection fame) and the historic Rudd’s Pub and the Serendipity Craft Cottage.
Another little town close by on the Downs is Allora, 15 minutes away, with tremendous old street scapes, sidewalk coffee tables, art gallery and shops catering for crafts, collectables and quilting. A short Heritage Trail walk can be enjoyed visiting one historic building after another. The annual Heritage weekend is held each January and needs a full day to take in history.
Nearby is the 1867 two story sandstone mansion of Glengallan Homestead and Heritage Centre and the heritage listed Talgai Homestead (1868). This facility offers visitors a rare and unique experience of colonial life. Innovative restoration reflects the rise and fall of Darling Downs squattocracy.
Leyburn, a few miles to the west is the venue for the Annual Classic Cars Sprints in August, reminiscing the days of the first Australian Grand Prix in 1949 on the wartime airstrip. Liberator Park has a memorial to the “Z” force Special Unit that was stationed here during WW2.
Just up the road is the fair Rose and Rodeo City of Warwick containing an abundance of roses with the delightful Leslie Park to excite your senses with wafting perfume and glorious colours. Wide footpaths abound with colonial homes, old churches, majestic sandstone buildings and a historic railway precinct giving a sense of unusual history for a rural city. In all weathers you can also relax and enjoy the comforts offered by the recreation and aquatic centre encompassing heated pools, sports courts, gym and hydrotherapy pool.
Visit Killarney and the Condamine Gorge with the Queen Mary Falls and delight in hand feeding numerous species of wild Parrots. Perhaps stay a night or two at nearby Cherribah international tourist resort with a private airfield.
Include a day trip to Stanthorpe and the Granite Belt with wineries, orchards, spectacular landscapes and numerous festivals. Visit the unusual granite formation National Parks whilst in the area and go bushwalking savouring a profusion of spring wildflowers.
Toowoomba, the “Garden City” is perched on the edge of the Great Dividing Range escarpment, 2000 feet above sea level. This gives relief for the temperatures experienced further west and the hot and humid coastal conditions. Toowoomba retains its rural charm with a history of rich pastoral heritage, old buildings, the Cobb and Co. museum, Art Gallery and public parks. At Easter it hosts the Gospel Festival. The city really comes alive during September with the annual Carnival of Flowers display. Night horse racing is also a unique first for Toowoomba. Restaurants and accommodation abound and there are many large shopping centres to while away your time. Not to be missed is the Zuccoli collection, which is a private collection of vintage and warbird aircraft and is open to the public free of charge.
There are numerous motel, hotel and B& B’s and caravan parks within an hour of the airfield. Clifton has 2 local country hotels offering excellent accommodation at very affordable prices with good country meals, B&B accommodation and a caravan park close by. Historic Rudd’s Pub in neighbouring Nobby offers first class meals and limited B&B accommodation. Allora also has a range of accommodation available. On Clifton airfield, camping, caravan parking and clubhouse accommodation is available by arrangement, which allows for early starts.
We are at the recreational end of the flying spectrum and the good news is that once you have learnt the basics in an ultralight, you can continue on and convert to general aviation. You have to be at least 15 years old and medically fit to hold a car driver’s license
Mum and Dad found the club charges for the Drifter at $ 115 hr dual and solo to be very affordable with excellent and dedicated instructors. The Club charges $ 50 for approximately a 20 minutes Trial instructional flight. I have found private hiring of the Drifter an excellent way of keeping current and taking my family and friends for flights.
What would you like to do? Come and fly around the area in your own plane? Perhaps have a holiday on the Downs with your family and start your flying training! I did.
I started my flying study before my fifteenth birthday and commenced my training on my birthday. I regularly hopped off the school bus on my way home and had my lesson, obtaining my licence the following month. I found the opportunity to do early morning and late afternoon lessons a tremendous advantage, for I was more able to assess what was happening without the upsets of turbulence. Why not give it a go now!
Contact the Lone Eagle Flying School, 549 Clifton-Leyburn Road, Clifton. Qld. 4361. Phone 07 4695 8541. email : trevorbange@bigpond.com.
Check out their website: www.loneeagleflyingschool.org.au
or give me a call on 07 4695 8528
