Awesome Adelaide – Page 14 of 49 – A photoblog of Adelaide's abandoned buildings, underground tunnels and places to explore. Urban exploration (urbex), off-limits, spelunking, drains, derelict buildings & ruins.

October 6, 2016

Urban Exploring: VH-AZA Beechcraft Plane

Beechcraft, an American aircraft manufacturer founded in 1932, made a range of general aviation and military aircraft ranging from light single-engined planes to twin-engined turboprop transports.

Advertisement for Beechcraft Bonanza May 1947.

This ‘little’ plane had the capacity to hold two pilots and five passengers. It could fly up to 30,000 ft and had a maximum speed of 336 km/h.

After being stripped back by its Adelaide owner for restoration, he injured himself and has not been able to return to continue his work.

VH-AZA was originally stored out of the weather in a caretaker’s shed, but having need for the space, the plane was moved to the corner of the property where she now sits beneath trees. Having no proper protection from the elements, this little Beechcraft plane sits abandoned and deteriorating, waiting for her owner to return.

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September 16, 2016

Urban Exploring: Erindale Ward Glenside Hospital

Amidst Adelaide’s high-rise apartment block developments, there are areas of Adelaide that remain neglected and forgotten.

Erindale formed part of the Parkside Lunatic Asylum which opened in 1870. The Asylum was renamed in 1913 to the Parkside Mental Hospital, and again in 1967 to Glenside Hospital. It long held the nickname The Bin; a home for the discarded — the dumping point for people that didn’t fit into society.

Erindale Disturbed Mens Ward, Glenside Hospital c2016.

Erindale housed the more mentally disturbed male patients. In 1941 Electro-convulsive shock treatment (ECT) began here as a treatment for those with mental disorders. This was the first place to introduce shock therapy to Australia. Patients were also put under the knife, with the first psychosurgery procedure performed at Glenside in 1945.

Male patient recieving Electro-convulsive shock therapy. — Male patient receiving Electro-Convulsive Shock Therapy. (Photo courtesy http://guardianlv.com/)

Is Erindale haunted? Even though approximately one-third of the souls admitted to Glenside would die here, we experienced no paranormal events. Could it be a perfect spot for an Allen Tiller investigation or a Haunted Horizons Ghost Tour?

By the mid-1970s, breakthroughs in modern drug treatments and falling patient numbers led to the site’s closure, and for the past ~40 years Erindale has sat empty and disused. Probably one the most neglected buildings of Glenside Hospital, there are currently no plans to re-use the building. It sits there decaying.

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September 4, 2016

Urban Exploring: McDonald’s West Lakes Party Plane – Irene

The McDonald’s West Lakes Part Plane was originally used by the U.S. Air Force from 1942-1944. It was built at Long Beach, California and delivered to the U. S. Army and mainly operated as a “Biscuit Bomber” around North Queensland and New Guinea.

It was assigned nose number 52 and nicknamed “Irene”, after the crew chief’s wife.

Irene in World War II. — Irene (VH-AER) in World War II. (Photos courtesy pacificwrecks.com)

The aircraft had a long history of flying resupply missions based at Port Moresby. On November 3, 1942 it dropped supplies over Kokoda. On February 6, 1943 it flew supplies to Wau.

During 1944 it became a civilian aircraft and leased to Guinea Airways starting on January 29, 1945. From 1945 to 1982 it flew under many operators as a passenger service, aerial photography & mapping plane and as a cargo plane. It had flown a total of 57,648 Hours and used over 100 Pratt-And-Whitney Engines during its 40 years of flying. The DC3 was destined to be scrapped, but the owner of a South Australian McDonald’s Restaurant had a better idea.

McDonald’s West Lakes purchased the plane on 22nd February 1983 from Setair and repainted it in its previous T.A.A. colours. The restoration took 8 months and 800 man-hours to complete. It was transported by road to Adelaide and installed as part of McDonalds Restaurant at Turner Drive, West Lakes SA on December 3, 1983.

Many people will remember sitting inside ‘Irene’ at children’s parties at the McDonald’s West Lakes Restaurant, where the plane sat for most of the 1980s and ’90s.

“We wanted to have something unusual,” said the restaurant owner. “When we got it, our sales increased 60 per cent.”

McDonald's West Lakes Party Plane. — McDonald’s West Lakes Party Plane. (Photo’s courtesy Adelaide Remember When)

Now, 15 years after the former World War II supply plane stopped being used as a children’s party venue, it’s close to being restored to its former glory. We were able to get a sneaky glimpse of her a few weekends back.