| Call Number |
3373B/62 |
| Physical description |
1 photographic print : b&w. |
| Series |
Weekend News Flashback series ; 3373B/62
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| Notes |
Norman Brearley had initially used a small strip of land next to Belmont Race course as an airstrip for his two Avro 504J aircraft from 1919, but considered that it was a little too far from the city centre. It was also not very suitable for use as an airfield, being boggy at times, and subject to flooding from the Swan River. When flying over Perth, Brearley noticed a nice rectangular patch of flat ground next to the river, extending east from Victoria Avenue, Langley Park. He made some enquiries regarding the possibility of using part of this land (owned by the Perth City Council) as an airfield. M.P. Durack, the MP for the Kimberley, could see the benefits of aviation and he owned a town house next to the land which Brearley wanted to use. Durack asked Brearley if he would like to built a hangar at the foot of his garden. Even though it was public land, Brearley took up the offer and in late 1919, moved the corrugated iron hangar from Belmont to Langley Park, situated on what is now the corner of Victoria Avenue and Terrace Road. No official permission was obtained. In May 1921, the Australian Federal Government advertised for tenders for its first subsidised (maximum £25,000) air-mail & passenger contract, operating a weekly service between Geraldton & Derby, in W.A., for an initial period of 12 months. Tenders were to close in July. The planned route, via such 'larger' towns as Carnarvon, Onslow, Roebourne, Port Hedland & Broome, covered some 1,900km. Much of the isolated & sparsely-populated area to be covered had never been seen from the air. Roads were mostly non-existent. Upon hearing about the tender, Norman Brearley studied various aircraft types, before contacting the Bristol Aeroplane Company in England. He asked if they could supply six 3-seat, 250hp Puma-engined Bristol 28 Tourer Coupé biplanes, capable of cruising at a then respectable 136kph, if his tender was successful. The Bristol Tourer was a 3-seat (2 passengers + pilot) version of the Bristol Fighter (which saw combat in World War One). Bristol replied that they could ship the aircraft to Brearley by late-October/early-November, with payment on delivery. Brearley decided to tender for the service, and specified a start date of 5 December. On 2 August, 1921, Brearley was advised that his tender had been accepted. He immediately cabled the Bristol Aeroplane Company, to confirm the order for the 6 Tourers, which arrived only 10 days before the planned commencement date. On Sunday 4 December 1921, three of the Bristol Tourers (G-AUDG, G-AUDI & G-AUDK) flew from Perth's unofficial "airport" at Langley Park, to Geraldton, in preparation for the first service the next day. On 5 December 1921, his airline, West Australian Airways (W.A. Airways), began Australia's first scheduled airline service between Geraldton and Derby, a return distance of 3,800kms. Len Taplin took off first, in G-AUDG, followed by Bob Fawcett and 'Flying Mechanic' Edward Broad as his passenger, in G-AUDI. Norman Brearley followed, with passengers M.P. Durack & Geoff Jacoby, in G-AUDK. They flew in line, some 100m apart. About 130km north of Geraldton, Len Taplin made an emergency landing on the Murchison House Station, after his engine began misfiring. Bob Fawcett, in G-AUDI, reduced height & circled the area, to check on Taplin's aircraft G-AUDG. Fawcett apparently reduced speed too much, and G-AUDI stalled and crashed, killing both occupants on impact. Brearley, not being able to see Fawcett, and wanting to check on Taplin's situation, landed G-AUDK some 3km away. Ironically, Taplin had soon fixed the engine problem. Fawcett & Broad were buried in the Murchison House cemetery, with the service overseen by the station's manager. Australia's first scheduled airline service had ended in disaster. The Civil Aeronautics Board investigation found that the crash had occurred due to an "Error of judgement; pilot banked too steeply in landing in rough country". The two remaining aircraft (G-AUDG & G-AUDK) were flown back to Perth the next day. Brearley suspended operations until he was satisfied that the standard of landing-grounds, provided by the C.A.B., was adequate. On 21 February 1922, W.A.A. recommenced operations over the Geraldton-Port Hedland sector only; the complete route not commencing until 3 March 1922. The complete Geraldton-Derby flight took some 2.5 days. (From Norman Brearley's book "Australian Aviator" and from aviation historian Fred Niven provided by D. Eyre, 2007) Charles Kingsford Smith, on the left of this photo, was later famous a few years later for his record flights: first trans-Pacific flight from the United States to Australia; first non-stop crossing of Australia, first flights between Australia and New Zealand, first eastward Pacific crossing from Australia to the United States; and a flight from Australia to London which set a new record of 10.5 days. (Information from Norman Brearley's book "Australian Aviator", and from aviation historian Fred Niven, provided by David Eyre, 2009) |
| Rights advisory |
This image is for personal use only. To publish or display it, contact the State Library of Western Australia. |
| Summary |
Taken on Sunday 4 December 1921, when the three Bristol Tourers (G-AUDG, G-AUDI & G-AUDK) flew from Perth's unofficial "airport" (at Langley Park, Perth) to Geraldton, in preparation for the first airline service the next day between Geraldton and Derby. Left to right in photo: Charles Kingsford Smith, Robert Fawcett (killed the next day on the first flight) Norman Brearley, Len Taplin and Val Abbott (later to be the Attorney General) |
| Subjects |
Air pilots -- Western Australia -- Photographs.
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Kingsford Smith, Charles, Sir, 1897-1935 -- Photographs.
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Fawcett, Robert, d. 1921 -- Photographs.
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Brearley, Norman, Sir, 1890-1989 -- Photographs.
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Abbott, Arthur Valentine Rutherford, 1892-1975 -- Photographs.
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Aeronautics, Commercial -- Western Australia -- Photographs.
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Online image.
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