QANTAS 1st Service Brisbane-Charleville 1929

In 1928 the CAB called for tenders for the operation of air services between Brisbane-Charleville, and Camooweal-Daly Waters. Since Q.A.N.T.A.S. already operated a subsidised service between Charleville and Camooweal, and had been doing so successfully since 1922, most observers expected that Q.A.N.T.A.S. would be awarded the extension contracts. When the successful tenderers were announced it was therefore no surprise when Q.A.N.T.A.S. was awarded the Brisbane-Charleville contract. However, the Larkin Aerial Supply Co. undercut the Q.A.N.T.A.S. tender and was awarded the Camooweal-Daly Waters contract. This was later to cause considerable problems for the CAB until Q.A.N.T.A.S. took over the whole route in 1934.

The photo above shows pilot P H 'Skipper' Moody accepting the mail at Brisbane's Eagle Farm aerodrome prior to setting off on the inaugural service from Brisbane to Charleville in De Havilland DH61 Giant Moth VH-UJB Apollo on 17 April 1929. The mail totalled 1,004 items. The text on the open hangar doors reads "Brisbane Flying School".

(Photo: CAHS/E C Johnston collection)

Q.A.N.T.A.S. First Service Brisbane-Charleville - 1929

In 1928 the CAB called for tenders for the operation of air services between Brisbane-Charleville, and Camooweal-Daly Waters. Since Q.A.N.T.A.S. already operated a subsidised service between Charleville and Camooweal, and had been doing so successfully since 1922, most observers expected that Q.A.N.T.A.S. would be awarded the extension contracts. When the successful tenderers were announced it was therefore no surprise when Q.A.N.T.A.S. was awarded the Brisbane-Charleville contract. However, the Larkin Aerial Supply Co. undercut the Q.A.N.T.A.S. tender and was awarded the Camooweal-Daly Waters contract. This was later to cause considerable problems for the CAB until Q.A.N.T.A.S. took over the whole route in 1934. The photo above shows pilot P H 'Skipper' Moody accepting the mail at Brisbane's Eagle Farm aerodrome prior to setting off on the inaugural service from Brisbane to Charleville in De Havilland DH61 Giant Moth VH-UJB Apollo on 17 April 1929. The mail totalled 1,004 items. The text on the open hangar doors reads "Brisbane Flying School". (Photo: CAHS/E C Johnston collection)

The cover above was carried on the inaugural return flight of the Charleville-Brisbane extension, once again aboard DH61 VH-UJB flown by P H Moody. This flight operated on 22 April and 500 items of mail were carried. The cover, issued by Q.A.N.T.A.S. for the flight, was postmarked at Charleville 7.30 pm, 21 April 1929 and backstamped on arrival at Brisbane 8 pm, 22 April. It carries two red vignettes also issued by Q.A.N.T.A.S. - one advertising the inaugural flight and the other exhorting 'See Western Queensland' - and a rubber-stamp facsimile of Moody's signature. (Phil Vabre collection) Back to the Items of General Interest index