While flying down the highway to Swan Hill, Ash and I passed through a town with a picture of a PBY Catalina (A WWII flying boat). Those who know me well will know that I used to have a secret aeroplane fetish, in the way that google told us that Lake Boga used to have a secret air force base in WWII. It was decided. Upon returning from Swan Hill, we would explore Lake Boga's recently restored Catalina..
Upon driving up to the Catalina museum (stationed in the remnants of the old WWII base), we realised that the experience would not come for free. Being a tightarse and deciding that the entrance fee was too much, we took us back on the road to Melbourne. This was when we discovered an old concrete bunker looking building a few hundred metres away from, well, anything.
As I approached the buildings, the sound of one thousand pigeons ascending to the sky filled the concrete relic. The smell of their feces also filled the air. From what I can gather (and I might be completely wrong), the huge slabs of concrete were abandoned relics from WWII. I have come to this conclusion due to the proximity to the museum (situated on communications bunkers and hangers), and from the number's 60 and 64 painted on the side of the building.
Unfortunately, we only had about 15 minutes at the location as we had a long drive to make back to Melbourne. Ill be back..
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| The entrance to Building 60. Notice the huge pile of pigeon crap in the doorway. |
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| Building 64, a much smaller building lay behind Building 60. |
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| Tail fins off what would have been an awesome 50's car lay on the concrete foundations to what looked like another building. What I initially took to be strange dragon teeth. Building 64 lays in the mid ground while Building 60 lays in the background. Note the line arching down Building 60. I have a feel it was once painted in camouflage. Also notice the prickly pear growing out it's mezzanine. |
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| Inside Building 60. Amongst the destroyed furniture and pigeon shit, there was an old German piano lying in the corner. Someone had stolen its ivory keys. |
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| Abandoned Piano in Building 60 |
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| Near the side entrance. |
Grew up in Lake Boga, familiar with these buildings. if you do get back there on another photographic mission and want to see something similar (but more impressive) there is an unrestored bunker in a paddock opposite the lake boga football ground ( south end, can't miss it). it's on private property but there is a hole in the fence and no-one seems to care if people check it out.
ReplyDeletethe museum is actually worth the entry fee, some amazing relics retrieved from the bottom of the lake. thanks for the images, enjoyed!