A restoration project has taken flight in regional Victoria as a part of Albury’s history is being pieced together one rivet at a time.
In 1934, during the MacRobertson Air Race, the KLM DC-2 airliner Uiver became lost in a thunderstorm on the final leg of the race and was forced to land on Albury Racecourse at night.
The remarkable story of the rescue of the Uiver by the townsfolk of Albury, and it still taking the handicap prize in the race, is the stuff of legend. Now, a group of dedicated volunteers have joined forces to form the Uiver Memorial Community Trust, and they are committed to restoring the world’s oldest Douglas DC-2 aircraft, with the aim of making it a centrepiece at the Albury Plane Museum for future generations to enjoy.
Getting behind the project are Gallagher Security and Watters Electrical who recognised the importance of safeguarding the project, and ensuring a security solution up to task was protecting both the Uiver and the machinery and tools required in the restoration project.
Uiver DC2 Restoration Project Manager, Russ Jacob heard about Gallagher Security’s SMB solution through the Holbrook Men's Shed who had the solution installed following a break in earlier in the year. So impressed with the ease of SMB and its cloud-based functionality, Russ reached out to Gallagher.
“The need had grown to have a security system installed as we were consistently adding new machinery and tools to assist in the restoration project along with all the materials and other valuables on site. Given the dollar value of all the equipment and materials along with the memorabilia and the project itself, a way of protecting this was paramount,” says Russ.
Gallagher donated the SMB solution and Channel Partner, Watters Electrical completed the installation free of charge.
Gallagher Security Sales Manager, Victoria and Tasmania, Neil Jarvis says, “The Uiver restoration project resonated with Gallagher and our appetite to support and give back to local associations and community groups.”
“As Watters Electrical had recently become a Gallagher partner and had already donated their services for the Holbrook Men’s Shed, they jumped onboard for another opportunity to team up with Gallagher to give back to the community by installing the Gallagher SMB solution at the Albury Hangar. Russ was very impressed with the team at Watters that completed the quality installation,” adds Neil.
Watters Electrical General Manager, Peter Copley says, “Our involvement in the Uiver restoration project is driven by a deep appreciation for its historical significance. The project aims to revive the Uiver, and we are motivated by the desire to contribute to its restoration. Recognising the need for enhanced security measures, we partnered with Gallagher Security to provide a comprehensive security system. This collaboration not only fortifies the project's success but also reflects our commitment to preserving and promoting important historical endeavours like the Uiver restoration at the Albury Plane Museum.”
Gallagher SMB is a cloud-based security solution that simplifies and streamlines security for businesses and organisations. It puts the power in the hands of the owner and gives them full control over site access via the Gallagher SMB app, allowing businesses to grant temporary access, arm and disarm buildings, request guards, and provide temporary access from their smartphone, offering security at your fingertips.
It was off the back of supporting another regional Victoria not-for-profit that the Uiver Memorial Community Trust reached out to Gallagher for support.
The subject of a break in earlier in the year, the Holbrook Men's Shed needed to bolster their site security and reached out to Gallagher who enlisted the support of Watters to secure the site.
Each year in Australia, approximately 25 new Men’s Sheds open across the country. As spaces designed to foster opportunities for connection, friendship, support, and the sharing of resources and skills, the rise of Men’s Sheds shows no signs of slowing down.
As a not-for-profit, Men’s Sheds are entirely reliant on fundraising initiatives to generate revenue to operate and provide experiences and activities for their members.
With SMB, Ray Hamiton of Holbrook Men’s Shed has streamlined and future-proofed the shed’s security system, leaving more time to focus on his members and their community initiatives.
Peter says, “Holbrook Men’s Shed told us they now have peace-of-mind that the premise is secure, as prior to having SMB installed they had a break-in, which sadly resulted in tools stolen and property damage.”
Neil says of Gallagher’s partnership with Watters, “Since appointing our first Channel Partner in 1989, Gallagher Security has fostered enduring partnerships. Decades of innovation, teamwork, and trust have created a robust support network for our shared customers. We work collaboratively with our partners to ensure customers receive the best solutions for site, asset, and people safety.”
Peter adds, “Our partnership with Gallagher is crucial; they provide a range of high-quality, user-friendly products, some with remote access, at cost-effective prices.”
Both Neil and Peter agree feedback from both End Users has been positive and enabled peace-of-mind for both premises allowing them to continue focusing on what is important.