One of the giants of the early days of Australia's airline industry, Edward James 'EJ' Connellan poses here with one of his airline's Cessnas.

Eddie Connellan was a remarkable man in that he was an idealist, a visionary and managed to have several careers simultaneously during his life when any one of those careers would have been fulfilling. Coming from a grazing family in New South Wales, he was educated at Xavier College in Melbourne. He became a teacher, obtained a University degree, learnt to fly, and was then determined to seek out the pastoral potential of Northern Territory. He carried out an aerial survey in his own aircraft and was persuaded to commence an air service to carry mail to remote areas of the Northern Territory.

During the years of World War II he conducted a limited service, usually being the only pilot, but after the War he was able to gradually expand the airline. The growth and operation of the airline at Alice Springs became his life-time challenge but he also became a successful pastoralist and was actively involved in all aspects of the development of the Northern Territory. He was a family man, a devout Christian, he possessed rare qualities of intellect, and he was at ease at all levels of society. He demanded loyalty and high standards from his staff and he was single-minded in his approach which inevitably caused friction at times and could lead to difficulties with bureaucracy.

Eddie Connellan died of cancer in December 1983. History records his valuable contributions to the development of the Northern Territory, particularly the air service which operated to high safety standards in a very difficult environment in remote areas.

(Photo: CAHS collection)