Day 5  Canberra

This was the day we could really  be mistaken for tourists.

First stop was a few hours at the Australian War Memorials Restoration Centre. (AKA  The Treloar Centre)

This turned out to be a highlight of the Canberra stay.  They have a huge collection of artifacts, some in very good condition.  Since they are in various stages of repair we could climb on, in and around them, which gave better  viewing than at the War Memorial proper.  This is where all the exhibits are restored and made presentable before actually being moved to the War Memorial itself.  This area is not normally open to the public, but a few phone calls and emails got  us a guided tour followed later by a customised guided tour of the War Memorial itself.

From the Treloar Centre is was back to the War Memorial proper and a guided tour by our contact, John White (Thanks for all the help,  John!, it was much appreciated).  The War Memorial is now so large that they have set up the exhibits so that each area can be viewed as a subject specific tour or you can do the whole museum in a sequential order (But I reckon it would take about two days)  We had half a day, so it was a bit rushed. But John White had picked out an "aviation buffs" tour for us and we managed to see the areas that held the greatest interest.  

Some amazing stories go with the exhibits. Like the Messerschmitt Bf 109 that was rebuilt by Eastern European slave labour during the war. When the War Memorial staff were restoring it they found a curse on the pilot written on the inside of the aircraft skin, hidden from normal view.   Also they found sabotage  cuts in struts and braces.  Also the co-incidence of the Japanese anti-aircraft gun they have, bearing projectile impact marks, recovered from somewhere in New Guinea. After various owners it got to the Memorial.   Next to it is a Wirraway, shot down while straffing an anti-aircraft gun implacement in the same place at about the same time. Was it the  gun and aircraft involved in the same duel?  No one knows but it may be!

Part of the rush was that we had an afternoon booked with our glorious leaders at Parliament House.  Bob and Murray, being "in" with the politcal scene had got onto  our local member of Parliament, Warren Entsch. He  arranged a visit  and  a guided tour and "tickets" to the public gallery for Question Time.

Bob was very keen on seeing the goings on - being a political type - but the impression was that the rest were a bit unsure about it. Most were a bit unsure whether we were lining ourslves up for a wasted afternoon or whether we should have stayed at the war memorial longer - but after having done the Parliament House tour it was well worth the effort.  The building was amazing,  question time (although apparently tame by most standards) was quite lively and showed some performances that would have earned an Emmy or Oscar anywhere else.    All in all it was well worth seeing.   .

Dinner that night was spent in the company of our local member and Secret Mens Business (as you do when dining with your local member)  went with an agenda to enlist Warren's help to get some RAAF involvment in the Aero Club Open Day. A jet fighter perhaps - nothing much!

But Mr. Entsch, being a politician, also came with a sting in mind!   It turns out he is the patron for a charity providing financial help for a local Cairns family who by a quirk of our social welfare system have ended up facing a very difficult time.  (As it happens- the father is also a pilot although not involved in SMB). Their situation is such that the charity had fallen just under $3000 short in a  project to install a hydrotherapy pool for the son who has severe cerebral palsy - and could we dig deep and help out?

SMB hasn't been known for it's charitable works but since Warren was going to see what he could do - so would we!

Post  Script:   On our return to Cairns we passed around the hat and out of SMB we came up with just over $2500 with a promise to make up the shortfall.   Just prior to our handing over the cheques some extra donations arrived and our contribution took the fund back into the black by $200!

                                                          Photo shows me handing over cheques for

                                                                             $2550 to Geraldine Hopton - Co-ordinator of

                                                                    the Smith Family Charity ("The Friends Association").