Catalina Flying Boat
Flying Boat Base, Rose Bay 1939
Flying Boat Museum
A concept to develop a new museum on the shores of Rose Bay, Sydney, is underway.
Inform Projects has been commissioned to examine the feasibility to establish a museum to commemorate Australia's unique history of sea plane and flying boat aviation.
The project' s aims are:
Primary Aim:
To provide to the FBM steering committee documents that will aid in the granting of development approval for the FBM on one of two sites at Rose Bay.
Secondary Aims:
Provide a feasibility assessment of the ongoing viability of the FBM as a major cultural attraction in Sydney that will aid in:
gaining federal, state and local government support and endorsementprovide assurance to owners (private and institutional) of important collections of flying boat and sea plane artefacts and memorabilia that the FBM will be Australia's premier flying boat museum and will have appropriate collection management protocols for the protection and display of these items.Provide sponsors, benefactors and business partners with an assurance that the FBM will be a financially viable entity that will enhance the supporters' association with the project. Develop an interpretive plan for the FBM specifically to:
Identify the museum's themes that related to Rose Bay's importance to aviation development in Australia and significance of the site on an international levelIdentify iconic objects (in particular, aircraft) to be displayed at the museumDevelop thematic links with primary and secondary school curricula to further enhance the relevance and public value in the creation of the FBM Assess the audience size and segmentation so as to determine the likely levels of attendance
Identify funding sources - from government, corporations and individuals
Determine what commercial operations that could be developed to provide ongoing income for the museum. Specifically to assess:
Ticket incomesShop - merchandise: such as souvenirs and booksCafé/restaurantVenue/function business (after hours usage of the facility)Collaborative business activities, such as:Sea plane: passenger departure and arrival facilitiesticketing and other associated activitiesNews on Rose Bay's new museum proposal: