Australia 1 | Missions in the MiGMan’s World Tour DLC

Description: Canberra, being populated totally by government administrators, is about Kafkaesque a city as you would expect. For example, the tourist bureau is not open on Tuesday. Why?
Canberra is located quite literally in the middle of nowhere and away from all centres of trade and economic production, the result of a compromise between putting the seat of Australia’s government in Melbourne or Sydney. The compromise was not exact, as it is 287 km from Sydney and 663 km from Melbourne, which seems fair.
Physically it is quite charming, albeit totally confusing due to the circular road networks around the centrepiece that is Lake Burley Griffin. Said lake is named after the American architect who won an international competition in 1912 and designed Canberra. I’m sure it made complete sense on paper.

Description: Black Mountain, so named because it is barely a mountain and not black, is nonetheless the most prominent landmark in Canberra. You will find it at the NW corner of Lake Burley Griffin and it features the distinctive Telstra Tower at the 2,664 ft summit. NOTAM: Canberra airport elevation is 1,869 ft so cruise at 3,000 ft above sea level.

Description: Follow the King's Highway east out of Canberra and then fly over Lake George, the largest body of water near the A.C.T. I like to alternate my flights over Lake George between the wind farms on the eastern shore and the following the base of the ridge on the western shore. George V was monarch of the United Kingdom and the British Commonwealth until 1936.
NOTAM: Canberra airport elevation is 1,869 ft so cruise at 3,000 ft above sea level.

Description: Visit the four dams which service Canberra and Queanbeyan, and the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex.
NOTAM. Canberra airport elevation is 1,869 ft so cruise at 3,000 ft.

Description: Fly out of Sydney's second largest airport at Bankstown, and use Sydney Olympic Stadium as a turnpoint onto the Parramatta River. Along Sydney Harbour and past the Sydney Opera House. Then turn north and follow the low level route along the beautiful northern beaches. Keep a look out for Great Whites and Budgie Smugglers.

Description: Fly into the Blue Mountains and check out the world famous rock formation 'The Three Sisters' at Katoomba in the Blue Mountains and return to Sydney via the Warragamba Dam.

Description: Parramatta was the food basket of Sydney in the early days after 1788 due to the fertile soil and connection with the first settlement in Sydney via the Parramatta River. Parramatta Football Stadium is home of the Parramatta Eels Rugby League Club.
The last waypoint, Gladesville Bridge, is used as a visual reference for pilots approaching YSSY RWY 16 R from the north, which includes most inbound international traffic. The airport has curfews due to noise limits in the suburbs to the west, which somewhat limits it's efficiency.

Description: Camden Airport is bordered on three sides by the Nepean River and is the Boy Scouts air activity base. I have seen everything there from gliders to L-39 Fighter Jets! Grays Point is on the northern edge of the Royal National Park. I suggest flying at low level along the bends of the Hacking River before turning north past Cronulla Beach.
Botany Bay is where Captain James Cook first stepped ashore from HMS Endeavour on April 29th 1770. Initially thinking this to be a suitable site for the 1st settlement, he changed his mind upon sailing 10 miles north to the mouth of what became Sydney Harbour.

Description: Visit 'The Gong' (Wollongong), home to Aunty Jack and the Port Kembla Steelworks, both icons to the post-boomer generation of Aussies. It was a simpler world back then with irreverant humour and school trips to the most dangerous workplaces. Great fun. Loiter over Wollongong and check out the steelworks. Then travel up one what is probably the most beautiful parts of Australia's east coast to Sydney's eastern suburbs. At Bondi Beach you will see lots of Poms and Kiwis mixing it up with the Great Whites. Just when you think it couldn't get any better, turn into Sydney Harbour and pass the Opera House and Harbour Bridge.

Description: Take a plunge off Fitzroy Falls into Kangaroo Valley in this dramatic flight. Head back to the coast and fly north past the famous Kiama Blowhole. All these locations are favourite day-trips for Sydney-siders. At the north west corner of Lake Illawarra you find a large Buddhist Temple on the Princes Highway which runs all the way from Sydney to Melbourne.

Description: Fly south over the rugged terrain of the Yerriyong State Forest and Morton National Park, then return along the coast.
Speaking Astrayan: Let's head down the south coast for the weekend, is a phrase often heard in Sydney households. Although it may sound to the outsider like "Wanna go downa coast? We'll avagoodweegend!"
Round trips from north to south: 21 nm HDG 025: Jaspers Brush Airfield YBEY (3344 ft) 12 nm HDG 032: Bomaderry 24 nm HDG 057: Shoalhaven Heads 16 nm HDG 125: Huskisson on Jervis Bay. 28 nm HDG 130: Jervis Bay Military YJBY and Royal Australian Navy (RAN) base HMAS Creswell. 40 nm HDG 185: Mouth of Lake Conjola at WP 3 28 nm HDG 171: Swan Lake and Sussex Inlet 52 nm HDG 190: Ulladulla, at WP 2, has been a fishing town and popular recreational area since the 19th century.

Description: Lithgow was the site of Australia's first steel mill and is often considered to be the first country town west of Sydney. There are active mines and power stations nearby. Fly loosely along the two main routes over the Blue Mountains from Sydney, west along the Great Western Highway and east along Bells Line of Road. It's always worth another flight to the Three Sisters. At the Three Sisters keep a sharp lookout for other traffic, as sightseers often approach along the valley from the west. The Great Western Highway continues past Blackheath and beyond Lithgow. The Hanson Clarence Quarry supplies sand, concrete ingredients and stone. Bells Line of Road passes the popular tourist spots of Mt. Wilson, Mt. Tomah Botanical Gardens and Appin, although they are not particularly easy to pick out from the air.

Description: This flight covers the entire north west of the greater Sydney basin. Hornsby is the largest centre in Sydney's north. Bobbin Head is a mecca for picnics and water activities. Lion Island is the dominant landmark at the entrance to Broken Bay, so named because it resembles a lion recumbent. Wisemans Ferry features a car ferry which is the only way to cross the Hawkesbury River in this area.

Description: Just to the north of Sydney, across Broken Bay lays a fantasmagoria of beaches and lakes. Known locally as "The Central Coast", this area has always been a favoured holiday destination for Sydney-siders. Many locals commute to Sydney by train, and you can see the rail bridge about 4 nm west of WP 4, Lion Island.
Round trips: 50 nm: Entire route, 7 nm: Mardi Dam HDG 190, 25 nm: Gosford

Description: The Newcastle and Hunter region includes Bulahdelah, Broke, Cessnock, Dungog, Maitland, Nelson Bay, Newcastle, Scone and Taree.

Take off from RAAF Base Williamtown and explore the water wonderland that is Lake Macquarie.

Description: Explore the enormous open cut coal mine, Mount Thorley Warkworth Mine, near Singleton in the Newcastle & Hunter region of N.S.W..

Description: Port Stephens is a large harbour north of Newcastle, and Nelson Bay is the main tourist destination, popular for whale and dolphin watching tours.

Description: Forster and Tuncurry guard the entrance to a complex series of lakes. The three main lakes to the south are Wallis Lake. Smith's Lake and Myall Lake. In this flight take the coast south and return inland along the Pacific Highway.

Description: Taree is an agricultural centre near the east coast of N.S.W. which was settled in 1831. In the 1920s George Bunyan built the Old Bar Airfield for Australia's earlist passenger and airmail services.

Description: Visit the second-largest horse breeding area in the world, after Kentucky USA.
Airports enroute: Quirindi Aerodrome YQDI
Entire route: 85 nm
Shorter return flight: 40 nm | Nowland's Gap

Description: In the area bounded by Muswellbrook, Singleton and Lake Saint Clar lay Drayton, Liddel, Mount Thorley and a host of other large open cut coal mines.
Areas to explore: The vast complex of mines and processing plants south of Muswellbrook, between WP 1, 2 and 3. Lake Saint Clair at WP 3.
Entire route: 87 nm Shorter return flights: 19 nm | Lake Glenbawn at WP 4 28 nm | Muswellbrook

Description: Experience the highs and lows of this fertile region on the NSW coast.
Region: N.S.W. North Coast
Comboyne, population 454, is in the centre of a plateau notable for it's lush landscape and avocado farms.
Wauchope is home to "Timbertown Heritage Theme Park". At 87 acres, it is a sprawling recreation of the pioneering days of the timber industry in Australia. IT features a working steam train and blacksmiths.
Entire route: 70 nm Return flights. 12 nm: WP 7: Wauchope | 24 nm: WP 2: Laurieton and Queens Lake | 46 nm: WP 5: Comboyne

Description: Kempsey is the birthplace of Australian country music legend Slim Dusty, and also of that iconic Aussie hat, the Akubra.

Description: Fly out of Coffs Harbour, south along the coast and then inland to Dorrigo Plateau. Contrast the rugged bushland in the valleys on your right with the lush rolling famlands of the plateau on your left.
The Big Banana was built in 1964 to promote a roadside fruit stall and now hosts the largest water theme park between Sydney (NSW) and the Gold Coast in Queensland.

Description: Visit one of Australia's oldest 'timber towns', Glenreagh in the Clarence Valley, population 900.
Return to Coffs Harbour via the coast, passing from Wooli: Freshwater, Corindi, Safety, Sandy, Emerald and Sapphire beaches.