TAA Aircraft Restoration

Early Restoration Photos

VH-TVL Vickers Viscount 756C History

  • Built at the Vickers-Armstrong Hurn factory
  • First flown – February 22, 1957
  • Entered onto the Australia Aircraft Register as VH-TVL, March 1, 1957
  • Registered to Australian National Airlines Commission
  • Arrives at Melbourne (Essendon) Airport at conclusion of delivery flight, March 1, 1957
  • Known Crew: Captain R. Andrews; F/O McCallum; Navigator C.O White
  • Aircraft was named ‘George Evans’
  • Operated first revenue service – March 21, 1957
  • Set a speed record between Adelaide – Perth of 4 hours 25 minutes (Captain L.W. Manning) – July 23, 1957
  • Set a speed record between Longreach – Brisbane of 112 Minutes (Captain D. Lawrence) – September 1, 1957
  • Withdrawn from T.A.A. service and placed in storage December 30, 1968
  • Returned to service with T.A.A. – February 27, 1969
  • Operated final revenue service – August 19, 1969
  • Placed in storage in Brisbane (Eagle Farm) Airport
  • Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register – May 24 1971
  • Aircraft had flown 30,275 hours with 21,474 cycles
  • Sold to Les Arthur of the Toowoomba Aviation Museum – November 1971
  • Dismantled and trucked by low-loader to Toowoomba – November 13 1971
  • Sold to Jensens Metals, Toowoomba 1978
  • Sold to J. Aspromourgus and transported to Wildmans Timber Yard – April 1989
  • Transported by low loader to Possum Park – 25 March, 2013

Present Day Photos

The interior of the restored TAA Vickers Viscount Plane as it looks today, is far different from its arrival in 2013.

The plane has been David’s pet projects for over 13 years. It’s fully decked out with a kitchen, lounge room, twin beds, toilet and shower. It even has a chandelier in the cockpit, thats more finesse than Qantas.

(Unfortunately because of insurance reasons it can’t currently be booked for accommodation.)

Restoration Works at Possum Park

  • May 2013 – Fuselage noted positioned on a newly constructed concrete area.
  • May 2014 – Fuselage noted with dummy wings and engine nacelles being constructed.
  • October 2014 – Fuselage noted with dummy wings, engine nacelles and propellers now completed and painted.
  • November 2015 – Construction of a circular steel framed ex WWII Lysaght hangar in progress which will eventually cover the aircraft except for a portion of the starboard outer wing section. There is no port outer wing section or No.1 engine nacelle. The frame of the hangar was in poor condition and needed a lot of restoring with a new cladding to finish it off.
  • September 2016 – Construction of the ex WWII Lysaght hangar was finally completed, which allowed the Viscount to become eligible for insurance cover.
  • April 2018 – Replica instrument panels installed by George Hatchman who had constructed them.
  • 2022 – Cockpit windows tinted.
  • 2022 – Bathroom installed
  • April 2022 – Nose was repainted with 2x grey undercoats and 3x black top coats.
  • June 2023 – Head protection added to door arches.

Arrival of TAA Aircraft

Video by The Dinkum Aussie

Train Carriage Restoration

Arrival of Train Carriages

Possum Park train carriages were surplus to requirements for Queensland Rail in the early 1990’s. Being put out of service mainly because of manual couplings.

Our string of carriages have the appearance of a troop train of the 1940/50’s era having being shunted over the railway crossing into the goods yard beside the platform of Kowguran 3CR.

Present Day Photos

TV Room

BBV 1639 Passenger guards van with radio. Now converted into a TV room.

Library

If you would like some quiet time, then the library train carriage is the perfect solution. It also has a small book exchange program if you wish to use.

Coach Drivers Room / Chris Osborne Art Gallery

The Manly goods van was built in 1966, arrived at Possum Park March 1994, know as the coach drivers room. Now 30 years later resident artist Chris Osborne is converting it into his art gallery & studio. (grand opening 25 Feb 2024)

1 Tonne Manual Crane

Came from Dulacca railway siding, made by Haslam & Co Ltd Engineers Derby England

Z Freight Wagon

Built by Evans Deakin & Co Ltd 1950 Brisbane

Railway Crossing Signs

Purchased in 1993 from Queensland Rail surplus material from Wandoan railway siding.

Train Carriage Accommodation

CW92 & CW93

Camp Wagons, now these train carriages have been turned into accommodation and currently have longer stay resident occupying them.

No94

TGVS Guards Van with periscope vision and strong room.
Now fully self-contained accommodation with reverse cycle air-conditioning and a double bed.

No95

CLC Louver Van designed by commissioner Morriarty
Now fully self-contained accommodation with reverse cycle air-conditioning and a double bed.

History & WWII Bunkers

1942 3CR RAAF Kowguran

During World War II RAAF Kowguran Sub-depot to No. 3 Central Reserve Explosive Store was located 20km north of Miles on the Leichhardt Highway. (350km west of Brisbane).
It comprised of 20 concrete underground bunkers and 25 timber accommodation and administration buildings.
Normal strength for the unit was about 60 airmen and officers.
RAAF Kowguran was the main explosive store on the Brisbane line, holding at times 2500 tons of bombs and ammunition.
In 1957 RAAF Kowguran was disbanded and all but the underground bunkers and two small brick buildings were sold for removal.

Bunkers with 2 Air Vents

Size = 20ft x 20ft with 9inch reinforced concrete stored small arms ammunitions stores or fuse & Detonator stores.

Bunkers with 5 Air Vents

Size = 40ft x 20ft with 9inch reinforced concrete stored smaller 30lb bombs that could be manhandled also incendiary bombs up to 250Ib and general purpose bombs. 

Bunkers with 7 Air Vents

Size = 60ft x 20ft with 13 inches of reinforced concrete to support a gantry rail inside for lifting the bombs. stored 500Ib 1000lb 2000Lb armour piercing aerial bombs for use against a Japanese invasion fleet.

Present Day Possum Park

Today all of the explosives are gone. In 1985 David and Julie Hinds purchased the disused bunkers on 360 acres of land and renamed RAAF Kowguran as Possum Park.

Bunkers

Since then several of the underground bunkers have been converted into modern self contained units for tourist accommodation.
1-8 & 10-16 Locked Storage, 9 Open to walk inside, 17,19,20 Accommodation, 18 Park Office – Julie and David.

Man Proof Fence

Still visible is the original man proof timber offset posts 17 strand barb wire fence that surrounds Possum Park.

☎ 07 4627 1651

Why not give us a call and secure your booking today !
Walkings also available but maybe limited in peak season April – October

Note! this is a No Dog policy park