Council endorses local aero club's plane tail idea

Published on Wednesday, 21 May 2025 at 12:41:39 PM

After calling for Expressions of Interest for the tail of the Boeing 737 in February, Council considered the matter behind closed doors at the Ordinary Council Meeting on Tuesday 20 May 2025 and endorsed the Mt Short Hopetoun Aero Club as the preferred proposal submission.

The club proposed having the tail repaired to a high standard and then creating a new visitor attraction at the entry to the Hopetoun aerodrome facing onto the Hopetoun - Ravensthorpe Road (depicted in the artwork above).

Council also approved the Chief Executive Officer to assign appropriate Shire resources to work with the Mt Short Hopetoun Aero Club to progress planning, develop the project business case including costings and potential funding, for further Council consideration.

There was extensive media coverage when the plane crashed near Hopetoun in the Fitzgerald River National Park in February 2023. During recent community consultation there was significant interest in the plane tail staying within the Shire of Ravensthorpe as a potential tourist attraction.

More details will be shared with the community about the potential project once it has been further considered by Council.

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