Foreshore Drive spotting location

[Nigel C]

Hey all,

How do you, as spotters, describe this location to new spotters in terms of how to get there (legally - i.e. no dangerous and illegal U-Turns on Foreshore Drive), what you can see, when it's best to be there, what camera gear is suffice etc?

Thanks for any responses.

[Grahame Hutchison]

Back in March this year I visited Foreshore Road and did a quick test shoot from the jetty indicated on the map
below. It was a beautiful day, although a little hot, so the heat haze was a bit of an issue. Typical aircraft seen
on Runway 34R from this location are B737, B767, A320, E190, ATR and Saab 340 etc, and just occasionally a
larger aircraft.

Directions: When you turn off General Holmes Drive into Foreshore Road (Red Arrow), you will need to continue
through to the boat launching ramp (Green Arrow), turn into the car park, then exit back onto Foreshore Road
and head back towards General Holmes Drive. About 500m down the road you will see sign posts into another car
park (Yellow Arrow), and this is where the jetty is located. From the car park it is only a short walk out to the end
of the jetty.

Camera Setup: I have indicated the camera settings on the images below, however 200-300mm is probably ideal.
From the end of the jetty it is around 340m to the centreline of Runway 34R. Shooting in the morning is best.

Other: This is an exposed location weather wise, so you will need to Slip, Slop, Slap. Also take something to eat
and drink, as there are no food outlets on site.



155mm F/10 1/320sec


280mm F/13 1/320sec


150mm F/11 1/320sec

[Stephen Brown]

Yeah I do the same as Grahame, turn around at the boat ramp.

I know the location as 'The Mill Pond'. Thats what the sign says at the turn.

You see all sorts of Nuffies over there.

Nige_MillPond.jpg

[Nigel C]

Perfect, thanks Grahame. It's the one location that's really not covered on your www.16right.com website.

[Grahame Hutchison]

Nigel, I have Foreshore on the web site, however the images and information are from 2008 - how time flies. I was only thinking recently that I should do a drive around the locations again and do an update. Quite a bit has changed since then on Foreshore Road in particular, and some of the other sites as well.

[Nigel C]

Yes indeed....the whole airport has changed significantly in the last 6 years! There was no Ikea car park, T2 has changed significantly and continues to do so right up to this day, new southern stand-off bays are in operation, my old office is gone, stop bars, RGL's, Cat II ILS, HIAL's 34L, running rabbit strobes, Brindabella, Vincent and Aeropelican gone from the local landscape. And that's just to name a few things! Oh, and the SACL Airfield Operations vehicles are currently undergoing a livery change from the current black/yellow chequered pattern.

And although I've been around the airport for some time, I really am like a fish out of water when it comes to the spotting locations!