“Letters: Aero Club waiting for Crittenden consultation; Airport support vital.” Central Coast Express Advocate, 19 July 1996.
These two letters provide contemporary evidence of support for Warnervale Airport development following the passage of the Warnervale Airport (Restrictions) Bill 1996, but from notably different perspectives.
The first is particularly significant to the history of the Central Coast Aero Club. Club president David P Isaac states that the organisation had 225 members, including 165 Central Coast residents, while Warnervale Air Pty Ltd employed seven people full time. He presents the club’s position as support for responsible development balancing environmental considerations, residents’ interests and the community’s economic needs.
Isaac also records the Aero Club’s concern that Paul Crittenden had criticised Wyong Shire Council for inadequate community consultation while, according to Isaac, failing to consult either the Aero Club or Warnervale Air before introducing legislation directly affecting the aerodrome. He raises a practical concern that the Bill’s references to “lengthening” and “extension” of the runway might potentially restrict improvements to the existing runway. His response to Crittenden’s reference to “wealthy” aircraft owners also provides useful insight into how the Aero Club represented its membership and purpose at the time.
The second letter, from Gary John Salisbury of Toukley, provides a broader pro-development argument. Salisbury frames support for Warnervale Airport in terms of democracy, employment and the future development of Wyong Shire.
Together, the letters document both the Aero Club’s institutional response to the 1996 legislation and wider community support for airport development during a critical period in Warnervale Airport’s history.
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