The Red Baron seaplane used to be a feature of the Townsville waterfront . Then it was moved to Western Australia ,where it was used to make scenic flights about Perth . For a long time now , there has been talk that if it did not return to Townsville, an equally renowned amphibian , Snoopy , colour yellow , would come to Townsville and use the Red Baron's mooring.
As a result , the mooring (above) advertising Red Baron Seaplanes was visible for what seemed years . You would expect the local media to keep a close weather eye on this , simply ring O412 896 770 from time to time .With the passage of time , no sight of Snoopy, it became apparent there were no aviation correspondents in the local media hangars . Little Darwin raised the situation on several occasions and even telephoned WA .
A prominent South East Asian journalist we know, on a visit to Perth , volunteered to drop in on the seaplane company and get the latest info for us as it sounded like an interesting story to her .
Guess what ? Our Shipping Reporter , the only one north of the Cape of Good Hope , yesterday discovered the mooring, along with the Red Baron Seaplanes sign, a regular feature of the waterfront, was missing . Sunk ? Scrapped? Moved to another site? Souvenired by South China Sea pirates ? Not picked up by the local scribes in the trenches .
On ringing Red Baron Seaplanes in Perth , the Shipping Reporter was informed it did not herald the second coming of the Red Baron ...the marina had asked them to move the mooring , its whereabouts now not certain.
Yes, Snoopy does exist, stored away in a hangar, and talks are going on about the possibility of the plane going into operation in Townsville, no indication when . The owner of the company is colourful WA adventure tourism operator and Entrepreneur of the Year , Mack McCormack , a former SAS member who taught mountaineering . He is founder director of Safelight , a Perth company that installed safety equipment for both the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Matagarup Bridge climbs .
He has received attention out west for his plans to set up tours from a floating helicopter pontoon on the Swan River and to either run a zip-line from the top of Brookfield Place to Elizabeth Quay , or a controlled jump off the side like the Sky Jump in Auckland , New Zealand .
Over the years he was written up in connection with a Cessna Caravan floatplane , a 22 seater Grumman Albatross and the 51 metre Norwegian built luxury yacht Lissa Solklint . Described as enterprising , an obvious understatement, he supports the SAS Resources Trust , a charity which helps former SAS soldiers , their widows and families.