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Byron Shire
March 27, 2024

Soaring cost of chopper

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Mark Owen-Greene, Wilsons Creek

Recently there was criticism in The Echo about local and NSW state politicians helicopter joyriding ‘to and fro’ from Cooper’s Creek to allegedly assess the situation and confer with the locals.

My problem is the apparent overuse and under capacity; along with the very high cost of running helicopters, besides the unrestricted pollution they throw off as they do not have any type of muffler or catalytic converter to even attempt to clean up the exhaust. I agree with other observers that the abuses are pretty obvious.

So I was just a bit concerned when I watched the lovely video on page one of yesterday’s Echonetdaily showing the stranded people of Cooper’s Creek being reprovisioned by volunteers and a helicopter. I was just a bit shocked to see only two measly boxes of provisions being loaded… perhaps 20kg total weight. A helo that size with just a pilot has a gross lifting capacity in excess of 750–1,000kg!

Can someone tell me why these very expensive ‘runs’ are being dispatched virtually empty? Or does the recipient of the groceries receive an invoice from IGA for $200 for groceries and $800 for delivery? Renting a small helicopter costs $700–1,200 per flight hour. Even if the flight time is being donated by charity or the bill is being footed by the state, we all know nothing is free. Charities are always short of funds and the state of NSW will only pass along the cost or cut back some other essential service as a trade off.

I am certainly not saying Cooper’s Creek should be denied what they need nor should they wear the cost of flying in provisions.

My point is there appears to be tremendous wasted capacity – and from the video, there is apparently no attempt at creating a ‘central distribution point’ to deliver to more than one person/family per flight.

Tell me it ain’t so…


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3 COMMENTS

  1. Could hardly believe the video when 2 small boxes of what ever went into the helicopter. Totally agree with your letter Mark. A lot is totally skewed these days, from Councils graders filling drains with expensive rate paid for gravel only then to apply another band-aid when the rains come and all the gravel ends up in the creeks. The real cost of anything is never calculated accurately any-more.

  2. Mark, I’m afraid it IS so. It is an extreme waste of resources. I thought I should mention, as the recipient of the order, that the food was shared with my community.

    No-one seems to know why we have been left in this situation for such an extended period, or what is expected of us. Maybe we should all organise ourselves via our phone tree to all order food at the same time … I would also like to reassure Mr Rate Payer that I will not be ordering any more food for my family unless this occurs.

    The council has closed the road to pedestrians because it is ‘at risk of catastrophic collapse’. I was simply trying to protect my children from a horrific death: my family has suffered enough tragedy in the past. From Wednesday, I have returned to the routine we had 3 weeks ago (when it was opened to pedestrian access for a few days): walking the landslip loaded up with everything we need to carry, and with my children.

    I do apologise for being such a burden to society, but I had a certain level of respect for council’s warnings. If we follow their instructions and can’t attend to work/study/shopping as usual, then what would you do in my position?

    Thanks for the chance to express my opinion. Of course, it would have been polite to have been given a bit of warning that a camera would be put in my face with the arrival of the helicopter: at least we don’t feel so isolated now …

    • Sorry you feel this way. We had very little warning that the chopper was going to fly and wanted to show our readers what your community is going through. We certainly don’t want to encourage walking over the landslip area, especially with children, but the idea of residents grouping together to place your orders on certain days does sound like a good one. – Ed

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