A multi-million dollar tourism development in the Avon Valley suffered a
tragic setback just a month before Christmas
In November, Gordon Marshall, one of the proponents of a bold plan to bring two retired Boeing 737-200 airliners to White Gum Air Park, near York, died in an aircraft hanger on the property.
Mr. Marshall was White Gum Air Park’s senior flight instructor, a Director of Sky Sports Flying School and part of the park’s tourism development team.
One of the air park proposals is to attract tourists from all over Australia and the world to view and interact with these giants of the skies, relocated in a rural setting.
A similar project in Queensland, with a Boeing 747 displayed in the town of Longreach, is now attracting over 40,000 visitors each year.
Despite this- currently local government regulators appear intent on refusing to allow visitors to see the 737’s, on private property within the local government area and are also said to be attempting to police the future flight plan development for the air park.
However close friends and business colleagues are determined to ensure Mr. Marshall’s death and any local government bureaucracy will not prevent the project from going ahead as planned.
“The last 18 months has been pure hell for all of us with our dreams seemingly turning to dust. This is even though airport planning at a regional level is entirely at the discretion of the local airport owners, aircraft noise and traffic movements are not under the control of any local government and an already proven successful business venture should not be prevented for no good reason” a friend said.
‘‘Knowing Gordon for 15 years I’m sure he would want us to continue, so we are all determined to make White Gum Air Park’s restored Boeing 737’s his legacy no matter what it takes’’.
The reaction of local businesses is also a stimulus for the plan to go ahead. Gordon was so passionate about this project he was the one who canvassed the majority of businesses in the town.
“We had 100% support”, a director of this tourism development said.
Fifty four local businesses support us and we had 316 individual signatures on a petition that has been sent to the Minister for Tourism. So one wing of one of the aircraft has already arrived at the property and plans are underway for the delivery of the other wing and then the fuselage in the coming months’’.
“Gordon would really like that’ he said.
David Taylor
Lifeline 13 11 14- beyondblue 1300 22 4636.
In November, Gordon Marshall, one of the proponents of a bold plan to bring two retired Boeing 737-200 airliners to White Gum Air Park, near York, died in an aircraft hanger on the property.
Mr. Marshall was White Gum Air Park’s senior flight instructor, a Director of Sky Sports Flying School and part of the park’s tourism development team.
One of the air park proposals is to attract tourists from all over Australia and the world to view and interact with these giants of the skies, relocated in a rural setting.
A similar project in Queensland, with a Boeing 747 displayed in the town of Longreach, is now attracting over 40,000 visitors each year.
Despite this- currently local government regulators appear intent on refusing to allow visitors to see the 737’s, on private property within the local government area and are also said to be attempting to police the future flight plan development for the air park.
However close friends and business colleagues are determined to ensure Mr. Marshall’s death and any local government bureaucracy will not prevent the project from going ahead as planned.
“The last 18 months has been pure hell for all of us with our dreams seemingly turning to dust. This is even though airport planning at a regional level is entirely at the discretion of the local airport owners, aircraft noise and traffic movements are not under the control of any local government and an already proven successful business venture should not be prevented for no good reason” a friend said.
‘‘Knowing Gordon for 15 years I’m sure he would want us to continue, so we are all determined to make White Gum Air Park’s restored Boeing 737’s his legacy no matter what it takes’’.
The reaction of local businesses is also a stimulus for the plan to go ahead. Gordon was so passionate about this project he was the one who canvassed the majority of businesses in the town.
“We had 100% support”, a director of this tourism development said.
Fifty four local businesses support us and we had 316 individual signatures on a petition that has been sent to the Minister for Tourism. So one wing of one of the aircraft has already arrived at the property and plans are underway for the delivery of the other wing and then the fuselage in the coming months’’.
“Gordon would really like that’ he said.
David Taylor
Lifeline 13 11 14- beyondblue 1300 22 4636.
Tragic
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