IN THE past month, the Qantas Founders Museum has received three prestigious awards, including acclaim for its new Airpark Roof Project.
The Longreach gem received the Tripadvisor 2021 Traveller’s Choice Award and was named Best Tourism and Leisure Facilities over $10 million and Central Queensland Project of the Year at the Master Builders awards.
The second award comes in the name of the museum’s ambitious Airpark Roof Project which aims to preserve the outdoor aeroplane displays that include the world-renowned Boeing 747 and Boeing 707.
The project cost $14.3 million and ties in with the successful Luminescent Longreach sound and light show.
Stage one of the project, the roof, was fully funded by the Australian Government as part of a Community Development Grants Project and built by Watpac.
Stage two, the light and sound show and a viewing platform was funded by the State Government.
The show was designed and curated by the Buchan Group, and the platform designed by NRA-Co-Lab.
Qantas Founders Museum Communication Coordinator Elizabeth Neal said the project, on top of helping preserve the planes, has allowed new creative ways of beautifying the airpark to attract tourists.
“It’s allowed us to drop our projections and lights from the roof and use that as a base to hold everything,” she said.
“Where we can now produce our Luminescent Longreach Show and put it on our aircraft.
“So, that essentially adds another night for all our tourists to stay.”
Ms Neal said it was great to be able to win both awards.
“The Traveller’s Choice Award meant we were in the top two per cent on the Tripadvisor website,” she said.
“We actually had won it last year as well.
“It just shows that we are continuing to improve and better ourselves in every way really.”
Ms Neal said plenty was to come for the museum, which may ensure more awards in the future.
