The journey begins

Airports are never a heap of fun, especially with early starts, but daughter Helen very kindly drove me to the airport in time for the 7.15am rendezvous with the other 18 members, plus guide, who were heading to Newcastle. I didn’t want to be “that person” who was late and who would be ribbed thereafter by the other group members - and Helen delivered me on time.

It all went smoothly, and there was a large and comfortable bus, our intended transport for the next five days, waiting for us at the other end.

First stop was the aviation museum, most interesting with a comprehensive range of displays including various military aircraft dating from a WWI Sopwith Camel through to a comparatively modern Sabre. For me the highlight was the long chat with one of the volunteers, a former RAAF electronics technician who showed me and explained much about the instrumentation and electronic screens, not to mention the dozens of switches and knobs, all crammed into the Sabre cockpit. How a pilot could handle all of that is well beyond me.

The immersive experience continued during our excellent sandwich at the cafe adjoining the museum which overlooks the combined civil and military runway. There was a continual stream of F-35A Lightning fighters, along with various training military aircraft taking off and landing just a few hundred metres from where we sat. Talk about deafening. Even at that distance, the noise from those F-35As on takeoff makes ones internal organs shake.

Next stop was the Newcastle Museum. We’re off to a flying start because that too was a worthwhile visit. We arrived just in time to see an automated display sponsored by BHP using a real ladle and overhead crane which simulated. with steam and sound effects, the pouring of molten iron from the ladle.

There were many other interesting displays there, but I was particularly taken by a whole series of simple ones which demonstrated basic principles in mathematics, magnetism optical illusions, the power of levers in a fascinating fashion. For example, one of these hands-on displays allows a child to lift a real car clear off the ground simply by applying a suitably long lever, A great way to get young people interested in science.

From there it was an hour’s bus trip, much of it through unspoiled bushland to Pokolbin in the Hunter Valley where we’ll be staying for the next four nights. A very pleasant buffet dinner with a nice merlot successfully capped off a pleasant event-filled day.Read more