Board calls for comment on park name

The Geographical Names Board is calling for public comment on a proposal by the Central Coast Council to name a reserve in Woy Woy.

Geographical Names Board chairman Ms Narelle Underwood said feedback was being sought on the proposal to name the site at Trafalgar Ave as The Runway.

It is the site of an old airstrip constructed in 1942 by the Australian Army.

It was part of a coastal network of landing grounds for military aircraft travelling along the eastern seaboard of Australia.

It ran roughly adjacent to Trafalgar Ave from McMasters Rd in the north to Oxford St in the south.

The original purpose of the airfield was to house eight bombers used for coastal patrol activities.

However, it was designated as an emergency landing ground as the threat of invasion diminished.

After the war the airstrip was used for car and motorbike races and horse riding, and Marshall Airways conducted joy flights on weekends.

In 1950, a Tiger Moth bi-plane overshot the runway and crashed into the roof of a house in Nelson St.

Ms Underwood said the board was encouraging community comment before it considered the proposal.

"It is important that place names reflect the character and history of the local area and community.

"We want to make sure everyone has an opportunity to provide their feedback on the proposed name," she said.

The closing date for submissions is May 15.

SOURCE:

Media release, 12 Apr 2017

Narelle Underwood, Geographical Names Board