Planes, Trains, and Automobiles – we have been busy checking off museums that cover each of these groupings with a trip HARS Aviation Museum with kids the last to check off to give us the full trifecta. We were unsure what to expect but were quite surprised to find the museum much larger than anticipated.

HARS Aviation Museum

The History of HARS Aviation Museum

The Historical Aircraft Restoration Society Aviation Museum (HARS) was founded back in 1979 as a not-for-profit organisation. The team have treked across Australia (and the world) to source aviation artifacts to restore which are then showcased in the museum today.

Membership of HARS Aviation Museum now includes over 70 licensed aircraft engineers whose skills cover all those recognised within the industry. Walking around the hangars you can see the scope of their skill set – incredible!

The Museum Attractions

HARS has an incredible array of aircraft to look at which includes both flying and static models.

This flying models include: CAC CA-25 Winjeel (Young Eagle), Consolidated PBY-6A Catalina,  Cessna 310B, Convair 440, De Havilland DHA-3 Drover, De Havilland DHC-4 Caribou, De Havilland DH-82 Tiger Moth, Douglas DC3 (aka C-47, Dakota, Skytrain, Gooney Bird), Lockheed C-121C Super Constellation, Lockheed SP2-H (P2V-7) Neptune, Lockheed AP-3C Orion and North American NA-16 Texan/Harvard/SNJ.

The static models include: Bell AH-1 Huey Cobra, Boeing 747-438 “VH-OJA, City of Canberra”, CAC CA-27 Sabre, English Electric Canberra, GAMD (CAC built CA-29) Mirage IIIO, General Dynamics F-111C, Hawker Hunter FR-74S and Piaggio P-166 Portofino.

For many of you, your eyes glazed over reading all that – let me simplify it: there are a load of planes on display that fly and planes on display that look like they could fly, but they don’t, across two hangers. Some were used in war. Some were civilian passenger planes. You’ll be able to hop inside some. Others you will look at from afar, they’re too delicate to touch. If the weather is good, you’ll even explore the 747!

Touring the HARS Aviation Museum

One of the most exciting things about HARS Aviation Museum is the tour. Admission to the museum includes a guided tour through the site, which owing to them being “working” hangars, requires an escort.

We found the escorted tours a fantastic way to experience the aircraft as we were told all about the history of each plane and could ask numerous questions – all which were answered. By moving around with a guide we were also able to climb in many of the aircraft which are otherwise off limits. The tours take around 90 minutes or more.

The other option is to head to HARS Aviation Museum on a “Tarmac Day”. Staffed by volunteer guides, the Tarmac Day is held outside the HARS hangars on the weekend of the second Friday of the Month and involves the static display of some of our distinctive aircraft. On these days you are able to board and sit in some of the aircraft including the cockpits of aircraft like the F-111C fighter-bomber and the Neptune submarine hunter.

Getting There

By Road

HARS Aviation Museum is around 90 km south of Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport. Take the Princes Highway south. The trip should take you around an hour. Please be mindful of the speed limit – there are a number of cameras along the way, and the descent into Wollongong is quite steep.

By Train

There is an hourly train from Sydney to Albion Park / Albion Park Rail.  The journey takes about two hours. From Albion Park Rail, turn West, cross the highway at the lights and follow the road around the airport.  You can see HARS from the highway. The walk should take around 15 minutes.

Museum Information

Address: 54 Airport Road, Albion Park Rail NSW 2527, Australia
Open: The museum is open every day (except Good Friday and Christmas Day). Guided tours are available any time between 9:30am and 3:30pm. Please note that tours of our B747 are subject to weather.
Tickets: $20/adult, $15/senior or student concession, $8/child (5-14 years) or $55/family (2 adults plus up to 4 children). Please allow 1-2 hours for a comprehensive tour.
Website: hars.org.au

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