CFS Air Support

The CFS does not own the aircraft in its aerial firefighting fleet.  It contracts aircraft for exclusive use service periods during the Fire Danger Season. 

During the exclusive use period, firebombing and surveillance aircraft are on active standby at Claremont Airbase  (servicing the Mount Lofty Ranges Primary Response Zone) , Port Lincoln (Lower Eyre Peninsula Primary Response Zone), Mount Gambier (Lower South East Primary Response Zone) and Hoyleton ( Mid North Primary Response Zone).  They then operate from a number of airstrips, including ours, in accordance with the CFS Rapid Initial Attack Strategy.

Operations at our airstrip effectively finished for the season when the exclusive use service period of the CFS contract with the water bombers ended last month.

We marked the end of the season with a formal meeting at the airstrip at which our Brigade Captain announced some major changes for next season, including an upgrade of the airstrip itself and a new mixing process for retardant.  We capped this off with a shared lunch for volunteers and their families. 

During autumn and winter, we would like to put together a history of the Region 1-Air Operations Brigade.  We have already collected some information with a great deal of help from Brian Geue, the original Air Base Manager at our airstrip. 

Amongst many other things, Brian recalled that, in the early days, the Cherry Gardens crew travelled all over the State to help with water bomber support

No doubt there are other people with recollections and anecdotes that could help to record the history of water bomber support at the Cherry Gardens airstrip.  We would like to hear from you and would greatly appreciate your help.