Around Australia Flights features a landmark year in Australia’s aviation history. 100 years ago the first successful flight around Australia’s extensive country, took place. Two stamps were released to celebrate the April 6, 1924 flight.
Two aircraft are displayed on the stamps, De Havilland D.H.50 G-AUAB and a Fairey IIID seaplane A10-3, both flown by flight crews to complete this journey. Designer Andrew Hogg has also designed over 100 stamps for Australia and the Australian Antarctic Territory.
Fairey IIID seaplane A10-3 – First flight around the continent of Australia by a seaplane.
It took Wing Commander Goble and Flying Officer McIntyre 20 days to cover 7,186 nautical miles.
Design used a 1930 photograph by Stan Copplestone, held by the Hilda Copplestone Collection, Library & Archives NT, PH0457/0018.
The first flight began on 6 April 1924, when Wing Commander Stanley Goble and Flying Officer Ivor McIntyre set off from the RAAF base at Point Cook, Victoria, in a single-engine, open-cockpit, Fairey IIID seaplane, A10-3. The duo travelled anti-clockwise, via Sydney, Southport, Townsville, Thursday Island, across the Gulf of Carpentaria to Darwin, Broome, Carnarvon, Perth, Albany, and Port Lincoln and back to Victoria. They battled poor weather and constant engine trouble and in Carnarvon, Western Australia, the plane’s engine had to be replaced. On 19 May, after 44 days and 13,600 kilometres, they alighted at St Kilda beach, Victoria, to an enthusiastic welcome from a 10,000-strong crowd gathered on the Esplanade. Around Australia Flights – 100 Years – Australia Post (australiapostcollectables.com.au)
Fairey III D Seaplane A10-3 flown by Wing Commander Goble and Flight Lt. McIntyre in Darwin during round Australia flight to win 1924 Brittania Trophy | Courtesy Library & Archives NT. (1930). Fairey III D Seaplane A10-3. Hilda Copplestone Collection, PH0457/0018. https://hdl.handle.net/10070/913756.
June 24, 1924, Gobel and McIntyre held up after their successful flight. Public domain photo courtesy https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C227957
De Havilland D.H.50 G-AUAB – second flight around mainland Australia and first in a land plane as part of a test of the De Havilland aircraft’s long-distance capabilities.
The crew of the aircraft, registered G-AUAB, comprised expedition leader and Controller of Civil Aviation, Lt Col HC Brinsmead; pilot Captain EJ Jones, the CAB’s Superintendent of Flying Operations and Personnel; and mechanic RH Buchanan, an assistant Superintendent of Engineering. After departing Point Cook on 7 August, the trip was undertaken in three stages: Melbourne to Darwin via Bourke, Longreach and Cloncurry; Darwin to Perth; and Perth back to Point Cook, where they alighted on 29 August after flying 12,324 kilometres. Around Australia Flights – 100 Years – Australia Post (australiapostcollectables.com.au)
DH50 G-AUAB side – CAHS/E.C. Johnston collection
Crew of the aircraft during a break in their flight. 1924, courtesy Airways Museum
Ad placed in newspaper showing the 1924 flight route. Courtesy https://airwaysmuseum.com/Round%20Australia%20Flight%201924.htm
The designer worked with photographs from the Stephen Barnham collection. for the second stamp.
Covers and booklets
The set includes FDCs, medallion cover, cancel, 2 maxi cards, gutter strip of 10, booklet of 10, stamp pack offset
The article on the Australia Flights: 100 Years was taken from previous listings on the Australian 2024 stamp program page. You can see more from the program here.
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