My book FLYING BASS STRAIT began with a question I asked myself. Who was the first person to fly over Bass Strait, and when? It was easy to get the answer from Google. Arthur Long in 1919. But then I asked myself, was he the first to fly in Tasmania? And the answer was no, he wasn’t. The first man to fly in Tasmania was Andrew Delfosse Badgery in 1914 in a flying machine he bought in England, where he learnt to fly, had it shipped to Sydney and assembled it himself with the help of some friends.
But then one thing led to another, and as I discovered more about Tasmania’s rich aviation history, I thought I would write a book about it. But having researched the matter further I came to the conclusion that there would be no way I could tell the story as well as the people who lived the experiences as reported in newspapers of the day.
To put the events into context my book starts with a nine and a half year old boy living in Hobart who witnesses Andrew Badgery’s flight and decides to start a scrapbook to record the aviation developments in the State which eventually led to the establishment of regular air services to the mainland. He also pastes in his book snippets of long forgotten significant Tasmanian events.
There is no doubt that Tasmanians have an aviation history to be proud of, but I suspect few these days know about it, and it should not be forgotten that in the early days of aviation it was only the enthusiasm of the general public that finally convinced both the Federal and State Governments to spend money on landing fields, aids to navigation and subsidies that would end the State’s dependency on shipping.
At a time when Western Australia (being the most remote State by distance) had a subsidised air service, driven by the need for the faster delivery of mail, Tasmania, being only a couple of hundred miles from the Victorian coast, was still eighteen hours away over a rough stretch of ocean that was greatly affected by the weather!
September next year will see the hundredth anniversary of Andrew Delfosse Badgery’s flight at the Elwood Showground, and I would like to see the event marked in a prominent manner that would draw people’s attention to Tasmania’s aviation heritage. Perhaps the event could be marked with an air race for light aircraft across Bass Strait from Melbourne to Hobart, sponsored by the Tasmanian Government, or failing that a fly-in. I’m sure there would be significant interest from aero club members to make this a success.
• Read an extract of Flying Bass Strait, TT Books, here
• Hugoagogo, in Comments: A Melbourne to Hobart air race! What a good idea. Could spice it up by including the 1914 class; eligible aircraft would be built with 1914 technology: wood, screws, fabric, dope, maximum 90 hp. Also, eligible aircraft must be constructed by the flier and a few of his mates.
