Jim WalshPrint Page

The airstrip commemorates J. (Jim) L. Walsh for his services to the Cobden community.

A public appeal was launched in 1982 to raise funds for the airstrip to be built on land at the Cobden Racecourse. The Heytesbury Shire, which fully supported the project, had purchased the land from the Cobden Turf Club for $10,000.

The task of establishing the airstrip was halted for some time in 1983 when the Ash Wednesday fires brought devastation to the area.  The aftermath of the fires absorbed all voluntary and Heytesbury Shire labour and plant. However, the project was still completed by February, 1984, thanks to the cooperation of the shire, local contractors, service clubs and many volunteer helpers.

The shire council appointed a member of its engineering staff and pilot, Garth McLennan, as secretary of the management committee and he duly called a meeting at Councillor John Blake’s home; Other members of the committee were shire representatives Councillor Blake and Councillorr Frank Howard, Chamber of Commerce representatives Jim Walsh and Graham Parlour, Cobden Rotary’s Stan Coad, Cobden Apex Club’s Des Pekin, Cr Arthur Matheson (Cobden Bush Nursing Hospital), Lyal Couch (Timboon Lions), Gary Hibberd (Timboon Apex) and Garth McLennan (shire staff and involved user) as secretary.

At the meeting, Jim Walsh was appointed president as he had been the main instigator of the project to build the airfield.

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