This aerial view of the rudimentary aerodrome at Longreach, Qld, was taken in 1925 looking south-east. This shot shows the first runway strips laid down anywhere in Australia. Of gravel laid on the natural blacksoil, they were laid for the CAB by local contractor Robert Thomas Hodgen of Ibis St, Longreach, and completed in October 1922. The strips were 600 yards long and 100 ft wide. The strips at Longreach were laid following experiments patching Tambo aerodrome to form strips.
Longreach
was the home of the Queensland And Northern Territory Aerial Service
Ltd. (Q.A.N.T.A.S.), and this view shows a close-up of the strips and
Q.A.N.T.A.S. hangar. This hangar still exists (c.2003-see below) and
today forms the basis of the Qantas Founders Museum. Unfortunately it
has not been possible to identify the aircraft outside the hangar.
Note the white circle marking denoting an aerodrome. The cross within the circle indicated that fuel and accommodation was available.
Click here to read about The Early Days of Civil Aerodromes.
(Photos: CAHS collection)
The original Q.A.N.T.A.S. hangar at Longreach framed by restored Lockheed
Super Constellation VH-EAG, photographed on the Federation Airshows
in the Outback tour, 13 July 2001.
(Photo: Phil Vabre collection)
Click here to see a photo of a Qantas Super Constellation.
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