Semi Retired Foamer: BOTANY BAY AND AREA

Pulled out the next box full of photos for scanning and cataloguing.

As is normally the case, amongst them I start finding a whole heap of random shots that really don't fit a blog post theme, not of the length of post that I usually like to do.

Thusly, below is a selection of shots taken around, and near, the Botany Bay area. They are from the 1990s, through to the early 2000s, and mostly scenes that are somehow different today.

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April 1999 saw a rather savage hail storm rip through the area.

While there was damage over a wide area, Kensington really copped a beating, with emergency services all descending on the suburb to help.
Much of the suburb became a sea of tarped houses, a temporary measure until all could be fixed.

The Sydney Airport railway opened in May 2000, making for a far easier, but painfully expensive, way to access our main airport.

However, in the later stages of construction, various sections were opened to the public for walking through.

We partook in the day that allowed walking from Sydney Airport to Wolli Creek.

Finally we arrived at Wolli Creek.
I think buses were available to take us back, but I am too old and senile to remember for sure.

1998 Patrick wharfie dispute.
This took place at the former level crossing at the railway entrance into Patricks, a location that looks significantly different today.

The area is completely different, with an elevated road, and roundabout, obliterating the crossing above.

Image copyright of Google and used as per their terms and conditions!

I am sure most people will recognise this face.
Jamie Farr, or 'Maxwell Q Klinger' in M*A*S*H, came to Westfield Eastgarden to sign box sets of the series.

It was, and still is, literally the only time I have wanted to go to that ghastly place. I virtually dragged my wife across the centre to be at the front of the line (turned out I got second place in said line).

he was such a lovely guy, really just the sort of person you would expect him to be.

Yep, I still class this moment and a life highlight.

Remember when route 302 went through Mascot and in to Circular Quay. It was far from direct, but I occasionally caught it for something different.
Today it goes from Westfield Feralgardens to Redfern.

Bus 1851 was a member of Sydney's first Mercedes type, commonly referred to as a Mark 1.
This particular bus would later be sold to 'T & I Engines' of Rutherford in NSW. It would later be scrapped.

There are many other changes to this scene.

'Joe's Airport Parking' was a Sydney Airport long term parking company based on O'Riordan Street in Mascot.
The business was eventually sold and, I think, today it is called 'Mascot Airport Parking'.
To the far left is a still existing carwash. It is seen in the colours of the short lived 'Newborn Carwash' chain. This one did not last a week, before the partners all gave up.

It was a former AMPOL service station, and will appear in a future post.

The Joe's minibus suffered an incident on O'Riordan Street.

3430 on the 400 bus route, waiting for a train to pass the former Mascot level crossing.

* The crossing is gone.
* the bus route no longer operates to Burwood, and is expected to soon be removed.
* the area to the left is now the 'Park and Fly' multi-story carpark.
* The bus is now owned by the Sydney Bus Museum at Leichardt.

Air Force 1 at Sydney Airport on November 1996.
During a visit by then president Bill Clinton.

While lucky enough to be able to go in for a look, the craft had secret service agents standing around below it and, so I was told, actual snipers on the hanger roof, so getting out of the security car was not allowed.

We may see these big Airbus beasts back again, but this was in their early days when still a novelty.

While all currently store in the US, one flew to Abu Dhabi in the last few days.

Boeing 747-338 VH-EBU 'Nalanji Dreaming' livery.
Built new for QANTAS, being built in 1984, and accepted in 1985.
Last flown (to Avalon) in February 2005, she remains there to this day, minus engines and livery, and is used as a training aid.

QANTAS Boeing 767-238ER VH-EBU
Accepted by QANTAS in August 1987, delivery flight being two days later.

First revenue flight on September 1st, operating until it's last flight in October 2004.
It went through numerous subsequent ownership, last noted entering the Guernsey Aircraft Register in June 2018.
Current status is unknown.
Today, QANTAS retains only one 767, this being a freighter.

Japan Airlines Boeing 747-300 in special Reso'cha livery.

Apparently Reso'cha means 'Resort Charter'.

Apparently it with Max Air, but in storage like so many other Jumbos.

Virgin Blue 737-400 VH-VGB.

Not only have these colours left our skies, so has this craft.

Built in 1993, over the 28.2 years of it's existence, it has worked for many different airlines.

However, today it is with Shaheen Air and stored at Karachi Jinnah International Airport.

A little service station that existed on Bunnerong Road in Matraville shops. I can't recall it in use as a service station, but feel it was used as a mechanic, or tyre place, in later years. By this time, it was mostly used for unofficial car parking.

Today, both the servo, and Poppy's Place, have been replaced with a new block of units with shops underneath.

Former Caltex railway sidings on the corner of Beauchamp and Botany Roads in Banksmeadow.

All trace of this has since been eradicated.

Another local fuel terminal was the AMPOL one at Pagewood.

Seen here during a rather pointless refurbishment of the rail loading facility. It would last only a couple more years until the site was closed and sold off.

Location today.

A lovely sign that was on Gardeners Road for a while.

When finished with, a friend was able to obtain the left third with the train.

Former Email warehouse at East Botany.
Now all redeveloped as units.

Botany Bay sunrise.

Former entrance into the 'Bunnerong Power Station'.

A recently look revealed that these have been removed, possibly as part of the redevelopment for expansion of the cemetery.
Disappointing that they could not have retained this piece of history.