Aerorescue Dornier VH-PPQ Passes Through Longreach Airport - Plus a Hangar Restoration Project for the Qantas Founders Museum

Noted calling into Longreach Airport late on Thursday 4 September was Aerorescue (AMSA - Australian Maritime Safety Authority) Dornier 328-100 VH-PPQ.  It arrived from Darwin and later departed to Brisbane.

File photo taken by Jamie C  ©

VH-PPQ was presumably heading to Brisbane to cover another Dornier that has probably gone into maintenance back at Darwin.  It would be expected to see the Dornier heading back to Darwin via Longreach again in the next couple of weeks!

Meanwhile, the Qantas Founders Museum at Longreach Airport has commenced work on the “Bring the Qantas Hangar to Life” project in the National Heritage Listed Qantas Hangar.  The work commenced on July this year and is part of the $19,665 grant received from the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection Everyone’s Environment grants program announced in May 2014. The project will include the installation of new displays, lighting, sound simulation and signs. The project is expected to be completed in May 2015.

The National Heritage Listed Qantas Hangar in Longreach was completed in 1922 with Qantas operating from the Hangar until 1930 when Qantas moved its operations to Brisbane.  The hangar housed stage one of the Qantas Founders Museum which opened in 1996, before expanding to the newer and bigger building in 2002.  The Hangar was added to the National Heritage List in 2009.

Additional text and images from Qantas Founders Museum Facebook page.